TORONTO — Fifteen-time provincial champion Glenn Howard of Penetanguishene is making a return trip to the Ontario Tankard.
After failing to qualify for the event a year ago, Howard booked his spot to the 2016 Recharge with Milk Men’s Tankard by defeating Richmond Hill’s Michael Shepherd 7-4 in the Region 2 B-final Sunday.
Howard, a four-time Brier and world champion, captured eight consecutive Ontario Tankard titles from 2006-13.
Meanwhile on Saturday, Toronto’s Mike Harris, the 1998 Winter Olympics silver medallist, defeated Shepherd 7-5 in the Region 2 A-final to advance.
Elsewhere this weekend, Kingston’s Greg Balsdon and Ottawa’s Jake Higgs (with Mike McLean throwing fourth stones) qualified via Region 1, Brampton’s Dayna Deruelle and Newmarket’s Ian Dickie advanced through Region 3, and Sarnia’s Mark Bice and Toronto’s Scott Bailey moved on from Region 4.
Toronto’s John Epping holds an auto-berth to the event while two more teams will still have a chance to qualify through the Challenge Round.
The 2016 Recharge with Milk Men’s Tankard runs Feb. 1-7 at the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre in Brantford, Ont.