In a cafeteria turned jam-packed reception hall at Algonquin College, Craig Savill took home the curler of the year award Wednesday night at the Ottawa Sports Awards.
The two-time world champion curls out of the Ottawa Curling Club, which is in the heart of Centretown and is one of the top training facilities in the province, if not the country. Savill was not able to attend the banquet, as he was competing in Winnipeg, but his wife accepted the award on his behalf.
Savill throws lead rock for the Glen Howard rink that won seven tournaments in 2008 and finished second on the World Curling Tour money list. This fact prompted master of ceremonies J.R. Rodenburg, from 93.9 Bob FM, to ask Savill’s wife if the family was rich. She was laughing when she replied with a no.
The awards banquet honoured Ottawa’s best amateur athletes in 2008, and Mayor Larry O’Brien opened the ceremony by expressing how proud he is of the more than 50 athletes that were honoured at the event. He told them, “[the city] is absolutely delighted to play a small role in promoting your success.”
Savill is among the most decorated athletes recognized last night, and he won the award for top male athlete at last year’s awards. But his play in 2008 earned him a direct berth in the upcoming Olympic Trials to compete for a chance to represent Canada on home ice in the Vancouver 2010 games. He is a fixture on the Ottawa Curling Club hall of fame, and at 30-years-old, he has lots of curling left in him.
World champion speed skater Kristina Groves, who won female athlete of the year for the fifth time, was among the other notable winners. Rhys Hill and Angus Mortimer, two young kayakers from the region who made it to the Olympics in Beijing last year, were named co-winners in the male athlete of the year category.
The coach of the year awards went to former sprinting Olympic gold medalist Glenroy Gilbert for his work with the Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club and Suzanne Chaulk for her coaching success in rugby at the University of Ottawa and with various Canadian teams competing internationally.
The Carleton University Ravens basketball team was the male team of the year, while the Ottawa Devils touch football team took the honours on the female side.
But the biggest ovation of the night went to Don Campbell, the coach of the Ottawa-Nepean Canadians’ baseball team for 28 years. He won the lifetime achievement award for a sports volunteer or administrator for his role in promoting the sport of baseball in the city.