Cobus Harmse and his mother Corne both won two titles at the Icestocksport Association of Namibia (AIN) Namibian Doubles Championships at DTS last weekend.
On Saturday, six pairs battled it out for the mixed doubles title with Cobus and Corne eventually emerging as clear winners.
Cobus Harmse, the 2019 African champion, and Corné, the 2013 African champion, impressed with ten match points and 47 stick points.
They relegated Max Feilmeier and Karin Curschmann, with eight match points, into second place, while Detlef Pfeifer and Loré Simpson came third with six match points.
They were followed in the rankings by Denzel Awoseb and Ladiwa Ouses, Jaydien Garoeb and his partner Luiseneth Kahono, and Desmond van der Smit and Loraine Kruger.
A total of 16 players took part, including four junior players, which marked a continuation of the positive upward trend in Namibian Icestock.
Thrilling men’s competition
On Sunday, the men’s and women’s doubles were on the programme. The men’s competition proved to be a thrilling affair, with the young players’ refreshing style of play in particular providing a few surprises. The pre-tournament favourites, Cobus Harmse and Max Feilmeier, got off to a strong start in the competition.
However, as early as the second round, they suffered a surprise defeat at the hands of Denzel Awoseb and the 17-year-old Jaydien Garoeb. With a 8–5 victory, the two young players made a strong statement and ensured that the outcome of the championship was once again completely up in the air.
Awoseb and Garoeb were unable to sustain this strong performance until the end, however. They suffered defeats against Ricardo Pieters and Johnny-Boy Hoëbeb, as well as against Desmond van der Smit and Detlef Pfeifer.
In the end, Harmse and Feilmeier nevertheless came out on top, securing the championship title with six match points and 25 stick points. Detlef Pfeifer and Desmond van der Smit took second place with five match points. Denzel Awoseb and Jaydien Garoeb came third, followed by Joachim Herrle and Jasper Schrader, while Johnny-Boy Hoëbeb and Ricardo Pieters came fifth.
Women’s title decided by stick points
The women’s competition was particularly close. All three participating pairs secured a victory. As a result, the stick points had to decide the final placings.
Corné Harmse and Luiseneth Kahono secured the championship title with five stick points. Loré Simpson and Loraine Kruger took second place with one stick point. Third place went to Karin Curschmann and Ladiwa Ouses with a final score of -6 stock points. The close result demonstrated once again just how evenly matched the competition has become.
The championships reflected the encouraging development of curling in Namibia. In particular, the participation of several young players shows that efforts to nurture young talent are beginning to bear fruit.
For the Icestocksport Association of Namibia, the championship was therefore not only the occasion for awarding the national titles, but also a further step in the positive development of the sport. The combination of experienced players, new participants and committed young people gives cause for hope for a continued successful future for curling in Namibia.
