Sandra's new job

Sandra Randa has a new job.

She will chair the 2010 Scotties Tournament of Hearts national women's curling championship.

Randa (shown) has worked closely with fellow committee member Tom Coulterman for several years to bring the tournament to the Sault.

"I think the whole reason we got this event was because they really wanted to get us off their backs," she said with a laugh at today's announcement.

Coulterman approached Randa and several others in the Sault in early 2004 to get the rocks sliding on a bid for the 2008 Scotties.

But when that fell through, they kept on sweeping with 2010 as their new goal.

Randa told members of the media and Sault dignitaries this afternoon that she was thrilled about nabbing the tournament for 2010.

Among those dignitaries in the house for the announcement at City Hall today was Mayor John Rowswell.

He took his opportunity at the mic to try to get the rocks sliding again on Phase 2 and 3 of the luxury suites at the Essar Centre.

"Phase 3 does actually include another media camera station at the far end in the corner, because the media have trouble covering the whole thing right now," said Rowswell after today's announcement. "You're going to need it for that 60 hours of television coverage on the Scotties."

The full text of the media release from the Canadian Curling Association follows:

************************* Sault Ste. Marie to host 2010 Scotties Tournament of Hearts

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON, November 6, 2008 - The Canadian Curling Association announced today that the Scotties Tournament of Hearts will be held at the Essar Centre in Sault Ste. Marie, January 30 to February 7, 2010. The city has successfully hosted other national events, including the 2008 M&M Meat Shops Canadian Juniors, the 1990 Brier and the 1978 Lassie (the forerunner to the Scotties), which was won by Manitoba's Cathy Pidzarko. "The Scotties Tournament of Hearts [shown is Jennifer Jones whose Manitoba entry won in 2008] is the premiere event in women's curling in Canada," said Greg Stremlaw, chief executive officer of the Canadian Curling Association (CCA). "This annual event is supported in a significant way by the title sponsor, Kruger Products Limited. Kruger's unprecedented support for this marquee event has endured since 1982 with the inaugural championship in Regina." "As we move into the Olympic year in Canada, the Canadian Curling Association is very pleased that the Scotties will be returning to Ontario, with Sault Ste. Marie playing host in a very unique time slot prior to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games," continued Stremlaw. "We know that Sault Ste. Marie and the Host Committee will do a wonderful job." The Host Committee of close to 500 volunteers will be chaired by Sandra Randa.

"I am very excited to welcome curlers and fans to our city," she said. "We will be rolling out the red carpet as we showcase the best women curlers in Canada with all the excitement leading up to the Olympics." "We are very pleased to be returning to Ontario for the eighth time in our 29-year history sponsoring the Scotties Tournament of Hearts," said Mario Gosselin, chief operating officer of Kruger Products. "All of us at Kruger are proud to be the longest corporate sponsor of amateur sport in Canada. Curling is a part of our heritage. It's a grass roots sport enjoyed by Canadians in communities from coast to coast to coast. We're looking forward to taking the Scotties Tournament of Hearts to Sault Ste. Marie - the heart of the Great Lakes and Canada." Tickets for the event are expected to go on sale in February of 2009. The Scotties Tournament of Hearts involves 10 provinces plus teams representing Yukon/Northwest Territories and Team Canada (defending champion) playing in a round robin, leading to the Page Playoff system involving the top four teams.

The first and second place teams meet in the Page 1 vs 2 game, with the winner advancing to the final while the loser goes to the semi-final.

The third and fourth place teams meet in the Page 3 vs 4 game, with the winner advancing to the semi-final game while the loser is eliminated. The 2010 Scotties Tournament of Hearts will be televised exclusively and extensively in Canada by TSN, from the round robin, through the Page Playoffs, semi-final and final. When the Lassie was held in Sault Ste. Marie back in 1978, it marked the last time the Canadian women's curling champion was determined by round robin play only.

In 1979, the Lassie went to a round robin preliminary followed by a three-team playoff and for the first time the final was televised live across Canada. The winner of the 2010 Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Sault Ste. Marie will represent Canada at the Ford World Women's, to be held March 20 to ­28, 2010 in Canada, at a site to be announced in the near future. The 2009 Scotties Tournament of Hearts will be held at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria, British Columbia, February 21 to March 1, with the winner advancing to the world women's curling championship in GangNeung City, Korea, March 21 to ­29. *************************