| Edward Werenich | |
|---|---|
| Curler | |
| Born | (1947-06-23) June 23, 1947 (age 77) Benito, Manitoba |
Curling career  | |
| Member Association |  Ontario |
| Brier appearances | 10 (1973, 1974, 1977, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1988, 1990, 1995, 1997) |
| World Championship appearances | 2 (1983, 1990) |
| Medal record | |
Edward Werenich (born June 23, 1947) is a Canadian curler from Holland Landing, Ontario. Nicknamed "The Wrench," Werenich has been known to be a colourful and outspoken character. Outside of curling, Werenich worked as a firefighter.
Career
Werenich was born and raised in the town of Benito, Manitoba but moved to Toronto after finishing high school. He began curling at age ten.
In 1972, Werenich joined Paul Savage's team as his second. The following year they would play in their first Brier. They would return again in 1974 and then in 1977 with Werenich as Savage's third. Without a championship, Werenich skipped his own team to the Brier in 1981, but still could not win.
In 1983 Savage joined Werenich as his third and they would go on to win the Brier title that year over Ed Lukowich of Alberta. At the World Curling Championships of that year, Werenich defeated Keith Wendorf's team from Germany in the final. Werenich returned to the Brier in 1984 and again in 1988 before winning for the last time in 1990 this time without Savage- defeating Jim Sullivan's New Brunswick team.
During the 1987 Canadian Olympic Curling Trials, Werenich was "humiliated" by the Canadian Curling Association threatening to disqualify him if he didn't "shed a few pounds"
At the 1990 World Championships, Werenich defeated Scotland, skipped by David Smith. Werenich returned to the Brier in 1995 and then in 1997 before announcing his first retirement from curling in 2000. Werenich came out of retirement in 2004, and made it to the Ontario men's championship for one final time.
Werenich was named to the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in 1988. The other three members of his 1983 world championship rink, Paul Savage, John Kawaja and Neil Harrison are also in the Hall of Fame.
In 2009, Werenich, Savage, Kawaja and Harrison were inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame.
References
- Ottawa Citizen, Feb 7, 1997, pg D4, "Werenich holds off 'team of the future'"
- ^ Jonathon Gatehouse (February 9, 2004). "Rockin' With the Wrench". Maclean's Magazine. Archived from the original on April 27, 2005. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
- "Werenich, Edward 'Ed'". The Canadian Curling Hall of Fame. Canadian Curling Association. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
- "Werenich, Savage, Kawaja, Harrison Rink". oshof.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 12 July 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
Sources
- Ed Werenich at World Curling
- Curleast biography (web-archive)
- Historica biography (web-archive)
- Canadian people of Ukrainian descent
- 1947 births
- Living people
- People from Parkland Region, Manitoba
- Curlers from Toronto
- World curling champions
- Brier champions
- Curling broadcasters
- Canadian male curlers
- People from East Gwillimbury
- Sportspeople from the Regional Municipality of York
- 20th-century Canadian sportsmen