National champs men’s final a tight contest

The action on the ice was hot at the finals of the New Zealand Curling Championships in Naseby on Sunday.

Seven men’s teams and three women’s teams competed for the national titles, as well as the opportunity to represent New Zealand at the Pacific-Asia Curling Championships in November.

The men’s final went down to the wire.

Anton Hood almost forced another end by levelling the score but, with the delivery of his last stone, former Olympic curler and team skip Sean Becker secured the gold for his side.

Anton Hood delivers a  stone during a match at the New Zealand Curling Championships in Naseby 
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Anton Hood delivers a stone during a match at the New Zealand Curling Championships in Naseby on Sunday. Hood and his team narrowly missed taking the gold medal. Photo: Shannon Thomson

Becker’s team, which also included Warren Dobson, Hamish Walker, Jayden Apuwai-Bishop and Robert McSkimming, won the final 6-2.

In the women’s round-robin competition, the undefeated team of Natalie Thurlow, Holly Thompson, Jennifer Stewart, Ruby Kinney and skip Bridget Becker, the 2010 world championship silver medallist, claimed the gold medal.

The Wendy Becker Sportsmanship Award went to Thompson and Ian Ford.

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