If you want to know what's really happening in sports, check the stats. And that's true in curling, too, as stats become more and more prevalent ...
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ISSUE 6 | THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019 AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF CURLING CANADA
OFFICIAL
PARTNER-OF-THE-DAY
If you want to know what’s really happening in sports,
check the stats. And that’s true in curling, too, as stats
become more and more prevalent in the game. – PAGE 2 LEARN MORE ABOUT
DELTA AIR LINES ON PAGE 7
« GAME OF
EYEOPENER • APRIL 4 • 2019 | PAGE 2
NUMBERS “
DAVE
KOMOSKY
Statistics: The only science that
enables different experts using
the same figures to draw different
conclusions.
It’s not like we
— Evan Esar go over them
S
ports fans love statistics. Next and have a giant
Curling stats big part
to the action on the field, or
ice, they love to devour stats stats meeting.
like M&Ms. It’s got something to
do with our obsessive targets-and-
But, yeah, they
can be useful.
of curling landscape
results culture. If you want to know
what’s really happening, check the
stats. — John Shuster
But are they really that
important, especially in curling
where, for the most part, the only aspect of stats is that they show
stat that really counts is on the trends.
scoreboard? “If a team or player has a
particular weakness, you can use NIKLAS
Curling got into the stats
business back in the Eighties. It that (to your advantage),” he says. EDIN
was mostly player percentages back Defending world men’s
then, but now curling’s volunteer champion Niklas Edin says the
staff of statisticians chart things introduction of the five-rock rule
such as cumulative shooting stats has muddied the water a bit when it
for teams, hammer, steal and force comes to stats.
efficiency, plus/minus results and “You get way more different
hogline violations, among other scenarios than we used to,” he said.
things. “With the five-rock rule it’s pretty
Stats are mostly tracked at major new and it’s a little bit more tricky. I
events, like this week’s Pioneer think you’ll have to look over four,
Hi-Bred World Men’s Curling five years to see what’s happening.
Championship, presented by Service You might get a few odd numbers
Experts Heating, Air Conditioning that you didn’t count on. With the
and Plumbing. They are charted four-rock rule it was a little bit
during the games and the results more obvious. Going into the next
posted online shortly thereafter. Olympics I think we’ll be a little
But what’s the value in all these more dialed in.”
numbers? Many players take particular
It all depends on who you talk issue with the shooting percentage
to. Curling Canada and World numbers because they are, after
Curling Federation officials think all, judgments. Just as the French
stats are great, and a much-needed judge at a figure skating competition
component of any championship can make a bad call, so, too, can
event. Curling fans like them, too, a curling scorer. What the scorer
to check shooting percentages after decides can be open to interpretation
a game. But mostly these stats are and criticism.
for coaches and players to use in “It can be subjective,” says Edin.
preparation. Precisley.
The players are a little more Every shot thrown this week
ambivalent about them. They are at the worlds is graded on a scale
there, they look at them, but they are of one to four. At the end of a 10-
a tool. Sometimes they’re useful, end game, where all the shots are
sometimes they are not. thrown, there is a possible 80-plus
“It’s not like we go over them points awarded per player.
and have a giant stats meeting But — and this is a big but — does
(before a game),” says Olympic the scorer know exactly what a skip is
gold-medal winner John Shuster of asking his teammate to play in order
the United States. “But, yeah, they to judge the intent to the result?
And scoring doesn’t reflect the poor game and still get a 95 because about wins and losses than we do nothing else just to rib the low man.
can be useful. If there’s something you get easy shots. It doesn’t say about and how we felt our team You can interpret stats in
that is peculiar, or that our coaching importance of each shot and when it
was made or missed. too much.” played as opposed to our shooting different ways, but there is no
staff thinks we need to know, then Shuster also doesn’t put much percentages,” he said. ignoring them. And in today’s sports
they’ll fill us in on that. But other “Shooting percentage is not that
big, really,” says Edin. “It’s just a stock in shoting percentages. “I know somebody will world — for various reasons —
than that, we just try to go out there “You can wonder sometime pull them up (stats sheet) an stats have become more important
and play our game.” number. The degree of difficulty
comes into it. You can play a pretty if people are getting home hour or two after the game just than ever.
Shuster says the most important cooking, but we care way more to see the percentages, if for Even in the Roarin’ Game.
34367-39-serx-327 Edmonton N-Eyeopener Ad-5.13x11.23.pdf 1 2/4/19 7:38 AM
EYEOPENER • APRIL 4 • 2019 | PAGE 3
Japanese skip Yuta Matsumura had a two-win day.
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Matsumura into playoffs
By GRANT GRANGER wonderful Wednesday. “To beat both those guys is
886-EXPERTS
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EyeOpener Writer just a fantastic day for us.”
Not many saw Japan being 8-1 coming at this
apan defeated two of the top four ranked teams stage of the championship. Not even Ursul.
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in the world yesterday to put the team skipped “With this field, I probably would have said no.
by Yuta Matsumura into a tie for top spot at I would have been happy with less than that. It’s a
the 2019 Pioneer Hi-Bred World Men’s Curling strong field, so we’re ecstatic about being 8-1.”
Championship, presented by Service Experts, Earlier in the day, the Japanese handed Canada
Heating, Air Conditioning and Plumbing. (6-2) its first loss taking just six ends to win 9-3
After shocking Canada’s Kevin Koe with a 9-3 thanks to scoring five in the third end.
victory in just six ends in the morning draw, Japan “The skip (Matsumura) made just some
then held off Bruce Mouat of Scotland 8-6 in the phenomenal shots,” said Ursel. “They’re playing
evening. Japan and defending champion Sweden, with a lot of confidence right now.
skipped by Niklas Edin, are both 8-1 in the 13-team
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who just joined the team this year, of the team’s
EYEOPENER • APRIL 4 • 2019 | PAGE 4
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Canada’s Colton Flasch looks over the shoulder of Niklas Edin.
EYEOPENER • APRIL 4 • 2019 | PAGE 5
World Men’s Curling Championship
Lethbridge 2019
A double whammy day
Koe looks to rebound after suffering back-to-back losses three games on the ice, Koe and Edin traded deuces The worst situation was the third end when
By JOHN KOROBANIK in the fifth and sixth — Edin executing a nifty hit Japan jumped on key misses by Canada to score
and roll to the full four foot from the 12 foot in the five.
H
EyeOpener Writer fifth and Koe a hit and stick in the sixth. “We got into situation where we kind of were
ump day was a bad day for Kevin Koe Koe, backed by third B.J. Neufeld, second forced to put the game on the line a bit and we
and Team Canada as they lost both their Colton Flasch and lead Ben Hebert, got in big weren’t able to make the shots to get out of it,” said
games at the Pioneer Hi-Bred World Men’s trouble in the seventh. And when Koe rubbed a Neufeld.
Curling Championship, presented by Service guard with his final try for a double takeout, Edin The Canadians kind of righted the ship with two
Experts, Heating, Air Conditioning and Plumbing. had a routine draw for three. Another three in eight in the fourth but after giving up one in five and a
After losing 9-3 to Japan in the Wednesday ended the game. steal in six decided they had enough. The loss did
morning draw, the Calgary-based foursome were “We were playing pretty good, but I think end the Koe team’s 24-game winning streak.
handed a 9-4 defeat by defending champion Niklas Benny’s (stone) picked, staggered those guards and “We’ve lost lots of games, definitely not a new
Edin of Sweden. That left Canada at 6-2, in the middle Wranä and lead Christoffer Sundgren, were forced then we just didn’t make what we need to get out of feeling,” Koe said. “It ended with a bit of an abrupt
of the pack in terms of playoff teams, and boosted into a single in the second end and after blanking it,” Koe said of the pivotal seventh. thud, but a loss is a loss. I wish we had played
Sweden to 8-1 and a share of top spot with Japan. three Koe got a deuce in the fourth. Edin missed a Earlier in the day, Yuta Matsumura of Japan better than that, but we didn’t. Whether you lose
“We’re still not all together where all four of us straight runback takeout and Koe made his hit-and- jumped all over a shaky start by the Canadians to like that or lose on last rock, it’s a loss.”
played our A game,” said Koe. “We have to find a roll for two. hand them their first loss of the event, a shocking Another loss, however, would put Canada’s
way for all of us to get clicking. Seems like we’ve Edin responded in five with a wide, hit and roll 9-3 verdict that had Koe and boys shaking hands chances of finishing in the top two and avoiding the
had two or three out of four going and that’s not into the four to score two of his own. after six ends. qualification games, in serious danger. Koe plays
going to cut it against the top teams.” Moving at a surprisingly quick pace that had “They put a lot of pressure on us early and we Olympic champion John Shuster of the U.S. in
Edin, third Oskar Eriksson, second Rasmus them playing almost a full end ahead of the other just couldn’t wiggle out of some bad situations,” the morning and Bruce Mouat of Scotland in the
said Neufeld. evening draw.
We are deeply rooted
in the communities
we serve.
EYEOPENER • APRIL 4 • 2019 | PAGE 6
Dutch have come a long way
Play has improved by leaps, bounds
« GRANT
GRANGER
John Shuster of the United States and one of the
pre-event favourites, Bruce Mouat of Scotland,
while being a tough out for Sweden, Japan and
Switzerland.
“We’d like to think we became a lot better,” said
van Dorp. “Playing in a couple of championships
and playing more routinely on this type of ice as
well. We played the European A divisions, we played
the worlds last year in Vegas, so it’s getting a bit
more experience. But it’s mostly just working hard,
It’s the same Netherlands team that played at training hard.
the 2017 world men’s curling championship in “We’ve improved on shotmaking in general,
Edmonton two years ago. But, at the same time, it’s we’ve become more accurate, making more
not the same team. runbacks, more draws, straight hits and I think
The squad, skipped by Jaap van Dorp, 29, tactically we’ve improved over last year.”
with fourth Wouter Gösgens, 20, second Laurens Van Dorp said Edmonton was both an amazing
Hoekman, 21, and lead Carlo Glasbergen, 28, went experience and a learning one.
1-10 in Edmonton. They lost games by scores like “We might have been intimidated back then, but
9-2, 9-3 and 13-6. Like Edmonton in April, it wasn’t not really by the opponents, by the fact that you’re at
pretty. a big championship and that was still new back then.
They improved to 4-8 last year in Las Vegas, and When we’re on the ice now, we’re comfortable and
this year have already upset Olympic gold medallist we love it,” said van Dorp. Skip Jaap van Dorp has more experience.
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“They’re not afraid to go after it and
they’ll suffer the consequences, They’re
not getting themselves in as many
consequences as they used to. Playing a
little smarter.”
She sees the investment paying off
down the road. It’s certainly already
paying dividends.
“These guys have the drive and the
Coach Sharri Leibbrandt has been determination to go a long way. They
part of the journey since long before
these boys hit the big time. Leibbrandt,
want to make it to the Olympics, be a
champion and be on the podium one day.
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W rld Scoreboard
LINESCORES
Draw 12
Draw 14
7 p.m.
9 a.m. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Total
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Total Japan (Matsumura) 0 2 0 2 2 0 1 0 0 1 — 8
China (Zou) *1 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 0 x — 5 Scotland (Mouat) *0 0 1 0 0 3 0 2 0 0 — 6
Netherlands (van Dorp) 0 3 0 2 0 2 0 1 2 x — 10
South Korea (Kim) *1 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 x — 4
STANDINGS
Scotland (Mouat) *2 0 0 3 0 2 1 0 x x — 8 Italy (Retornaz) 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 4 x — 8
Norway (Ramsfjell) 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 x x — 4
USA (Shuster) *1 0 1 1 0 3 0 2 x x — 8 Sweden (Edin) *0 1 0 0 2 0 3 3 x x — 9
Italy (Retornaz) 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 x x — 3 Canada (Koe) 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 x x — 4
W L
Japan (Matsumura) 8 1 Canada (Koe) 0 1 0 2 0 0 x x x x — 3 Netherlands (van Dorp) *1 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 1 0 — 6
Japan (Matsumura) *2 0 5 0 1 1 x x x x — 9 Germany (Muskatewitz) 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 3 — 7
Sweden (Edin) 8 1
Switzerland (de Cruz) 7 1 Draw 13
Canada (Koe) 6 2
SCHEDULE
2 p.m.
U.S. (Shuster) 6 2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Total
Italy (Retornaz) 5 3 Germany (Muskatewitz) 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 x — 3
Scotland (Mouat) 4 4 Norway (Ramsfjell) *0 0 0 0 1 2 0 2 0 x — 5
Netherlands (van Dorp) 3 5 China (Zou) *2 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 — 5
TODAY
9 a.m. Draw
Norway (Ramsfjell) 2 6 USA (Shuster) 0 0 1 0 2 2 0 0 1 1 — 7 A — USA vs. CAN; B — RUS vs. NED; C — NOR vs. CHN; D — ITA vs. SUI
Russia (Glukhov) 2 6 2 p.m. Draw
Switzerland (de Cruz) *2 1 0 2 6 0 x x x x — 11
Germany (Muskatewitz) 2 7 South Korea (Kim) 0 0 1 0 0 1 x x x x — 2
A — KOR vs. SWE; B — SUI vs. JPN; C — GER vs. RUS; D — SCO vs. CHN
China (Zou) 1 7 7 p.m. Draw
Russia (Gorkhov) 0 0 0 1 0 3 0 1 0 x — 5
South Korea (Kim) 0 9 Sweden (Edin) 2 1 1 0 2 0 2 0 1 x — 9
A — NED vs. ITA; B — CAN vs SCO; C — USA vs. JPN; D — NOR vs. KOR
LETHBRIDGE’S
EYEOPENER • APRIL 4 • 2019 | PAGE 11
IS PROUD
TO SUPPORT
School kids are enthu
siastic and noisy at the
Enmax Centre.
Italian players
standing tall
Two of the Italian players – third Amos
Mosaner and second Sebastiano Arman —
have tall, lanky frames that tower over skip Joël
Retornaz and lead Simone Gonin. The pair appear
more likely to be members of Italy’s volleyball
team, one of the best in the world, than curling.
“Too tall, for me. They’re very, very tall,” said
Retronaz. “You need a couple of players like that
in modern curling teams because they’re tall and where it needs to be, including Lethbridge.
they can be very good sweepers, they can be very Howie, of course, is best remembered as
effective because with their weight all the way down Rhona Martin, who astounded the curling
on the brush. As a skip, when I have to throw my world and people back in Britain when
her team from Scotland won a surprise
last rock knowing I have two big guys sweeping Olympic gold medal at the 2002 Salt Lake
my stones it really gives me confidence.” City Winter Games.
nnn nnn
It’s a tradition that was born several years ago
There are no ties in a curling game. Extra
and has continued this week in Lethbridge for
the 2019 Pioneer Hi-Bred World Men’s Curling
Championship, presented by Service Experts, Heating,
ends and measuring sticks are supposed to
take care of that. But every once in a while ROCK SOLID.
Air Conditioning and Plumbing: school kids. there is, although it could be argued under the
They are noisey and enthusiastic, and for circumstances one team did come out a winner The Experience. The Tools.
those morning draws when there aren’t many with the ruling.
fans in the stands, they fill the place up. It happened in the fourth end of a game
between Scotland and South Korea on
The Know-How. That’s the sign
And so there they were again Wednesday
morning, cheering every big shot by the
Canadian players and generally having a ball.
Tuesday night when the two sides couldn’t
determine who had shot rock. The officials
of a RE/MAX agent.
Among the kids in the Enmax Centre were brought the measuring stick out and went
a group of about 30 students from Vauxhall round and round the rings a few times without
Elementary. The kids were bused in, leaving their being able to figure it out either. That meant
school at about 7:30 a.m. for the approximately neither team got a point.
hour-long drive to Lethbridge. “I’ve never seen anything like that. I’ve
Accompaning the kids were principal Dale heard about it,” said Scottish skip Bruce
Cummings and teachers Kaitlyn Kelly and Mouat, 23.
Leslie Vogel. But although it was declared a tie, Korea,
Service Credit Union sponsors the school skipped by SooHuyk Kim gained a bit of an
program. advantage by retaining the hammer.
nnn “We were happy to force, and we were
Rhona Howie is back at the world happy to steal, so it was a bit of annoying to get
championship doing colour commentary for
World Curling TV, but she also has a new part-
a blank,” said Mouat.
But the blank turned out to be moot since
remax.ca
time job for the World Curling Federation. She is Scotland stole two points in the fifth end and
also helping with logistics, getting equipment to went on to a 7-3 victory. Each office independently owned and operated.EYEOPENER • APRIL 4 • 2019 | PAGE 12
TEAM PROFILE Bruce
Mouat
POSITION: Skip
AGE: 24 (August 27, 1994, Edinburgh,
Scotland)
SCOTLAND
FAMILY: Single
OCCUPATION: Curler
LIVES: Edinburgh
YEARS CURLED: 17
DELIVERS: Right-handed
VARIOUS CURLING CLUBS
Grant
Hardie
POSITION: Vice-skip
AGE: 27 (March 27, 1992, Dumfries,
Scotland)
FAMILY: Single
OCCUPATION: Curler
LIVES: Glasgow, Scotland
Scotland is world famous for its whisky. Known as YEARS CURLED: 19
DELIVERS: Right-handed
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Bobby
HISTORY Lammie
POSITION: Second
AGE: 22 (February 10, 1997, Dumfries,
Scotland)
FAMILY: Single
OCCUPATION: Student
LIVES: Glasgow, Scotland
YEARS CURLED: 10
DELIVERS: Right-handed
Hammy
Formal name: Scotland
Local name: Alba
Languages: English, Scots,
Scots Gaelic
McMillan Jr.
Local formal name: Rioghachd Religion: Protestant, Roman POSITION: Lead
na h’Albannach Catholic AGE: 26 (May 29, 1992, Stranraer,
Location: Europe Scotland)
Status: UN member country SCOTLAND AT THE WORLDS FAMILY: Single
Last five years: OCCUPATION: Curling development
Capital City: Edinburgh (Dùn 2018: Bruce Mowat 11-1 (Bronze) officer
Eideann) 2017: David Murdoch 6-5 LIVES: Glasgow, Scotland
Main cities: Glasgow, Dundee, 2016: Tom Brewster 5-6 YEARS CURLED: 19
Aberdeen, Inverness 2015: Ewan MacDonald 3-8
2014: Ewan MacDonald 3-8 DELIVERS: Right-handed
Population: 5.3 million
Currency: 1 pound sterling = 100 Last championship — David
pence
Murdoch 2009 COACH:
World titles — 5
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Dinner Buffet: 5:00pm – 6:30pm
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Eat. Enjoy. Experience.EYEOPENER • APRIL 4 • 2019 | PAGE 14
TEAM PROFILE John
Shuster
POSITION: Skip
AGE: 36 (November 3, 1982, Chisholm,
Minn.)
USA
FAMILY: Wife Sara; sons Luke (5),
Logan (3)
OCCUPATION: Public speaker/curler
LIVES: Superior, Wis.
YEARS CURLED: 21
DELIVERS: Right-handed
DULUTH CURLING CLUB (MINNESOTA)
Chris
Plys
POSITION: Vice-skip
AGE: 31 (August 13, 1987, Duluth,
Minn.)
FAMILY: Engaged
OCCUPATION: Self-employed
LIVES: Duluth
YEARS CURLED: 20
In the US, pizza surpasses burgers as the nation’s
DELIVERS: Right-handed
favourite fast food. According to the pizza industry
trade organization in the US, about 100 acres of pizza
is served every day. ALTERNATE:
Korey Dropkin
Thank You to our Friends of the 2019 Pioneer Hi-Bred World Men’s Curling ChampionshipEYEOPENER • APRIL 4 • 2019 | PAGE 15
Matt
HISTORY Hamilton
POSITION: Second
AGE: 30 (February 2, 1989, Madison,
Wis.)
FAMILY: Wife Jenny
OCCUPATION: Research and
development technician (Spectrum
Brands)
LIVES: McFarland, Wis.
YEARS CURLED: 14
John
Formal name: United States of Religion: Protestant, Roman Catho-
Landsteiner
America lic, Judaism POSITION: Lead
Local name: United States AGE: 28 (May 19, 1990, Mankato, Minn.)
Local formal name: United States FAMILY: Wife Kelsey
of America U.S.A. AT THE WORLDS
Location: North America Last five years: OCCUPATION: Project engineer
Status: UN member country 2018: Rich Ruohonen 6-6 LIVES: Duluth, Minn.
Capital City: Washington. D.C. 2017: John Shuster 8-3 YEARS CURLED: 18
Main cities: New York, Los Angeles, 2016: John Shuster 8-3 (Bronze) DELIVERS: Left-handed
Chicago, San Francisco 2015: John Shuster 6-5
Population: 328 million 2014: Pete Fenson 3-8
Area: 9,372,610 sq. km Last championship — Bob Nichols
Currency: 1 US dollar = 100 cents 1978
Languages: English, Spanish, and World titles — 3 COACH:
over 30 others
Don BartlettEYEOPENER • APRIL 4 • 2019 | PAGE 16
Worlds 7-1 now, and also feeling pretty good,” said de Cruz,
who doesn’t mind the challenge of Switzerland’s
upcoming opponents. “It’s what we’re looking for.
If we want a chance in the playoffs to do something
FROM PAGE 3 good we’re going to have to face some tough teams
anyway, so if we only have easy games it’s not going
“For three of them it’s their first worlds and you to help us. We’re looking forward to that challenge.”
wouldn’t know it out there. They were calmer than The Swiss play Italy (5-3) and Japan today,
I was and I was sitting up on the bench with nothing Canada and China (1-7) Friday.
to do. To beat Canada in six ends, for anybody, they John Shuster of the United States survived a scare,
don’t have that happen too often.” overcoming a 4-1 deficit to South Korea to win 7-5.
The Japanese, who have clinched a playoff spot, That ties the Americans with Canada for fourth
still have to face Switzerland and the United States. place at 6-2. They play each other this morning. The
“
The evening’s marquee matchup went from a loss to Japan dropped the Scots to 4-4 and they still
tight tussle to one-sided at the end. Sweden scored have to face Canada tonight.
three in the seventh end and stole three more in the
eighth. That gives Sweden the tiebreaker advantage
over both Japan and Canada because the Swedes
have beaten both.
“It was a good test for us,” said Edin, who wasn’t
willing to say it was the team’s best performance of
the week. “It was more pressure because we knew
they have all the weapons to make everything in any
I wouldn’t say
situation, so you can never take it too easy. You have
no margins for mistakes, you can never play it safe.
it’s the best
I wouldn’t say it’s the best performance, but I would
say considering who we played it was the best win.”
performance,
Edin, who is seeking a record-tying fourth world
title, felt beating Canada will go a long way toward
but I would say
solidifying one of the top two spots. Those teams go
directly to the semifinals while the next four battle it
considering
out in the quarter-finals.
“It would have been tricky if we lost that game,”
who we played
said Edin.
Peter de Cruz’s Swiss squad did its part to keep
it was the best
pace with the front runners at 7-1 by disposing of
South Korea 11-2 in the afternoon, a victory that
win.
included a record-tying steal of six in the third end. — Niklas Edin
Peter de Cruz has his Swiss crew riding high this week. “We would have taken it if you told us we wereEYEOPENER • APRIL 4 • 2019 | PAGE 17
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