WHO ARE GOING TO BE Kings - No clear-cut favourite as Canada's best men's teams gather for Tim Hortons Brier - Curling Canada
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ISSUE 1 | SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2020 AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF CURLING CANADA
WHO ARE GOING TO BE Kings
KINGSTON? No clear-cut
favourite as
Canada’s best
men’s teams
gather for
Tim Hortons Brier
TANKARD TIMES • FEBRUARY 29 • 2020 | PAGE 2
BRIER Kingston 2020
Northern Ontario’s
Jacobs holding hot hand
entering Tim Hortons Brier
MOOSE
is
LOOSE By GRANT GRANGER
T
Tankard Times Associate Editor
he field for the 2020 Tim Hortons Brier, presented by AGI, is
super strong and its most muscular teams are from Ontario.
Just how powerful is this year’s tussle for the Tankard at the
Leon’s Centre?
Well, it just so happens the two teams that have won the last three
Briers are seeded fifth and sixth.
That’s a strong field.
And the team that has made it to the last two Brier finals is ranked
fourth.
That’s a really strong field.
In fact, with Mike McEwen’s squad winning the Wild Card game
Friday night all of the top eight teams in the Canadian Team Ranking
System standings are throwing rocks at the 2020 Brier.
That’s a really, really strong field.
There’s no doubt the Northern Ontario squad skipped by Sault Ste.
Marie’s Brad Jacobs is the hottest in the land this winter. Jacobs and
his cousins, lead Ryan Harnden and second E.J. Harnden, and new third
Marc Kennedy have claimed the first three Grand Slam titles this season.
They rolled through the Northern Ontario championship with a 7-0
record decimating their opposition 61-21.
Northern Ontario’s Brad Jacobs has had a terrific season so
Please see BRIER
far, and will be tough to beat at this year’s Tim Hortons Brier.
Next page
TANKARD TIMES • FEBRUARY 29 • 2020 | PAGE 3
Brier of Olympic skips who have won the last three Briers
between them and a team that has lost the Brier
final the last two years.
Then there’s McEwen, who lost the Manitoba final
to Gunnlaugson but skipped his team to victory Friday
night over Glenn Howard of Penetanguishene, Ont.,
FROM PAGE 2 Alberta’s Brendan Bottcher is seeded fourth to become Team Wild Card and is the third seed. The
and all his Edmonton squad has done the last two concept of having the top two ranked teams not to win
This will be Jacobs’ 12th Brier appearance, seasons is come up a shade short tangling for the a provincial title play in the wild card game when the
including winning it in 2013, and sixth straight. The Tankard in the Brier’s concluding clash. Last year in new 16-team format was adopted for 2018 came at
only ones he’s missed since his first in 2007, when he Brandon, it was a loss to Koe, who is seeded sixth McEwen’s suggestion.
threw last rocks for skip Al Harnden, his uncle, on a here despite his Calgary crew being Team Canada He took advantage by skipping a squad to victory
team that also included E.J. and Ryan’s father Eric, and is seeking a record fifth Brier title as a skip. In in the wild card game in Regina that year after losing
were 2009 and 2014. He had a good excuse for the last Regina in 2018, they fell to Brad Gushue’s Team to best buddy Reid Carruthers in the provincial final.
one. Jacobs and his cousins, along with Ryan Fry at Canada squad from Newfoundland/Labrador, who But last year McEwen joined forces with Carruthers,
third, were busy winning a gold medal at the Winter are the fifth seeds this week. second Derek Samalgaski and lead Colin Hodgson to
Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Gushue and Koe are Canadian curling elite. No represent Manitoba at the Brier in Brandon.
Since their Olympic triumph, they’ve finished doubt Hall of Famers. Both teams are still in their As TSN analyst Russ Howard put it, Pool A
second in the Brier in 2015 and third in 2016 and playing primes. And yet they’re the fifth and sixth featuring Northern Ontario (Jacobs), Alberta
2019. seeds! Yikes! (Bottcher), Newfoundland/Labrador (Gushue) and
This season, though, they’ve received a jolt with Right on their tail, though, are a couple of up- Manitoba (Gunnlaugson) is the Pool of Death.
the addition of Kennedy, a former Olympic champion and-coming squads. And Pool B, with Ontario (Epping), Wild Card
with Kevin Martin and third for Kevin Koe at the 2018 Two-time Canadian junior champion Matt (McEwen), Team Canada (Koe) and Saskatchewan
Olympics. Dunstone, who is just 24, skips Saskatchewan’s (Dunstone) is also the Pool of Death. They’re both
But they’re from Northern Ontario. This Brier is seventh-seeded squad. This is his second trip to the deadly.
being held in Southern Ontario. It just so happens Brier. His third, Braeden Moskowy, 29, is here for Some outsiders have the potential to infiltrate the
that’s where the second hottest team in the land the fourth time. elite eight and reach Championship Pool play next
resides. It’s skipped by Toronto’s John Epping and, Ranked eighth are the Manitoba champions Thursday and Friday, the most notable of which is
ironically enough, it has been energized by adding skipped by Jason Gunnlaugson. Although a Brier British Columbia. It’s skipped by Steve Laycock
Fry and moving Cornwall’s Mat Camm to second and rookie, Gunnlaugson is 35 and has been oh, so close with Jim Cotter throwing fourth. Both are making
Brent Laing to lead. to having a bison on his back many times. His most their ninth appearances at the Brier as is lead Rick
The switcheroo has resulted in the team winning memorable bout of fleeting fame came when he and Sawatzky. Then there’s Koe’s brother Jamie, who is
three events, including capturing the Home two Winnipeg curling buddies made a deal with the skipping the Northwest Territories at the Brier for the
Hardware Canada Cup. That terrific triumph also Russian federation for $100,000 each to join up 13th time.
secured them the first coveted spot into the 2021 with two Russian curlers to try to qualify for Sochi. The bottom line is the 2020 Brier has quantity in its
Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings in Saskatoon. In Although they won the national championship they quality. No matter which team emerges as champions
addition to their wins, they were runners-up to refused to renounce their Canadian citizenship when they will have earned it.
Jacobs in a grand slam final. the Russians wanted to expedite their passports and But the real winner just might be the fans who get
Lurking right behind the Ontario duo are a pair the deal was called off. to witness first-class curling over the next nine days.
We are AGI
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TANKARD TIMES • FEBRUARY 29 • 2020 | PAGE 4
WILD-CARD GAME
Make room for McEwen
Manitobans make main draw
By JOHN KOROBANIK
W
Tankard Times Writer
ith the agility of a magician, Mike single. “That’s about as uncomfortable a
Ewen escaped disaster for five game, other than the Brier final, that you
ends before he and the rest of his can get. To play in that atmosphere, you’re
team made the key shots down the stretch the only sheet out there, the building is full
to sneak pass Glenn Howard 5-4 in the Wild of fans, sounded like they were enjoying
Card game Friday night and earn a spot in the themselves. That’s about as much pressure as
Tim Hortons Brier, presented by AGI. you’re going to get until you get to the final”
The McEwen team out of the West St. Howard, who has played more Tim
Paul Curling Club in Winnipeg were in Hortons Brier games since 1980 that any
trouble most of the first half of the game other player, was naturally disappointed,
at Leon’s Centre, but somehow managed both in the loss and some of his own play.
to avoid giving Howard multi-scores in “I felt we controlled the first half
several ends. The Howard foursome out of the game,” he said. “It could have
of the Penetanguishene Curling Club did gotten away from them, in my mind. It
score a deuce in the third but managed only was disappointing. I missed a few shots
singles in the fifth and ninth ends. I shouldn’t have missed. I just wish I
“They had us sweating real bad the first personally would have played better. We
half and we played Houdini and escaped,” had our chances and they got out of a few
Mike McEwen (centre) celebrates with his teammates after their big win. said a much-relieved McEwen after drawing situations.”
the edge of the button in 10 for the winning Howard had McEwen in trouble in both
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TANKARD TIMES • FEBRUARY 29 • 2020 | PAGE 5
Taylor AutoMall history
Jerome Taylor arrived in Kingston in 1963 and at the age of 27. He would be the youngest ever in
Canada to own a dealership without benefit of family connections.
He was presented with an opportunity to take over an existing Chrysler dealership. The business
was floundering, but Jerome implemented a strategy of hard work and a complete focus on the
Customer. Within 3 months, the dealership was on track and Jerome Taylor never looked back. By
1967, it was necessary to expand. A new location was found at 1429 Princess Street and Kingston
Dodge Chrysler was opened, where it still stands today.
The business continued to grow and prosper and in 1979, Jerome decided it was time to make
a change. With all of the turmoil that Chrysler was experiencing, Jerome took a completely new
direction and purchased a GM dealership deep in the city core. It was reintroduced as Taylor Chev
Olds Cadillac, becoming an instant winner. Along with his other business, Limestone Auto Body,
the Taylor automotive landscape was now a complete package. In 1988 the need to expand was
obvious. He opted to purchase property situated at the corner of Princess Street and Centennial
Drive. The brand new Taylor AutoMall was born. A modern, sleek design gave an airy, open
atmosphere complete with a restaurant & lush gardens. The booming business added a Saturn
dealership in 1991 that operated until 2009 when the Saturn Brand ceased to exist.
Jerome’s son, Jason came on board in 1995 after completing a Bachelor of Commerce Degree
from Dalhousie University. After two years of managing Saturn of Kingston, Jason was appointed
Director of Operations in 1997 & oversaw all aspects of the business. The unexpected and sudden
passing of Jerome Taylor in 2006 was a dark day for his family & his employees. Today, Jason
maintains the tradition & philosophy his father so successfully engineered in the business.
Since then, General Motors and the entire automotive industry have faced significant challenges.
In 2009, General Motors, after streamlining the business, emerged from bankruptcy and closed
many dealerships. The Taylor AutoMall was selected to serve as Kingston’s exclusive GM
dealership, at the same time, they were awarded the Buick and GMC franchises.
As a result of continued growth, extensive renovations were completed in the Spring of 2012 as
the Taylor Auto Mall strives to continuously improve it’s delivery of services to you, the customer.
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Glenn Howard (front) and Derek Samagalski keeps a close watch on the rock.
“Mikey made a freeze. Out of his hand
Howard had McEwen in trouble in both they’re going ‘Back 12, back eight’ and
the second and third ends. McEwen drew the for some reason it curled up and ended up
four foot with his final stone in two, facing
three Howard counters, to score a single.
a great shot … an absolutely perfect shot.
That curls a little bit more I make a double WE SERVICE ALL
But Howard, backed by third Scott we get a deuce. We ended up being forced
Howard, second David Mathers, lead Tim to one.” MAKES & MODELS!
March and alternate Adam Spencer, took McEwen got a game-changing two in the
full advantage of a couple of misses by eighth end, set up by a superb double runback
the McEwen team to post two in the third. takeout by Carruthers that left them sitting
McEwen third Reid Carruthers narrowly three. Howard had a chance to keep them to
missed a triple opportunity and McEwen one but missed on a try for a double.
himself had to make a tough double with “Reid made a couple of great shots, he
his final stone to keep Howard to a deuce. set up that two in eight,” said McEwen.
McEwen, Carruthers — a 2011 Tim “Derek made a great freeze … fortunately
Hortons Brier and world champion —
second Derek Samagalski and lead Colin
Glenn missed the double and that was a big
turning point.” WE SELL ALL MAKES & MODELS!
Hodgson, had a chance for their own deuce, In the ninth Carruthers made another
and a possible three, in the fourth. But a key shot, a double peel that opened up the
perfectly frozen stone, behind cover, by house and prevented Howard from building
Howard forced McEwen to draw for one.
McEwen was in trouble again in the
a possible multi-score end.
The two teams got into the Wild Card
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fifth, facing three Howard counters, until game as the two highest ranking teams
McEwen drew the edge of the button with on the Canadian Team Ranking System to
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final stone. Howard couldn’t tick it out and
had to settle for a single.
not win their provincial title. McEwen is
ranked No. 4 and Howard No. 9.
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TANKARD TIMES • FEBRUARY 29 • 2020 | PAGE 6
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TANKARD TIMES • February 29 • 2020 | PAGE 8
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TANKARD TIMES • February 29 • 2020 | PAGE 9
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TANKARD TIMES • FEBRUARY 29 • 2020 | PAGE 10
KingstonTransitgetsyou A Brier pool party
whereyouneedtogo–free! POOL A
2. Ontario (John Epping)
3. Wild Card (Mike McEwen)
6. Canada (Kevin Koe)
7. Saskatchewan (Matt Dunstone)
10. British Columbia (Steve Laycock)
11.New Brunswick (James Gratton)
14. Yukon (Thomas Scoffin)
15. Northwest Territories (Jamie Koe)
POOL B
1. Northern Ontario (Brad Jacobs)
4. Alberta (Brendan Bottcher)
5. N/L (Brad Gushue)
8. Manitoba (Jason Gunnlaugson)
From Thursday, February 28th to Sunday, March 8th, all 2020 Tim
9. Nova Scotia (James Murphy)
Hortons Brier ticket holders can ride Kingston Transit for free – just
12. Quebec (Alek Bédard)
show your ticket when boarding. On February 29th, March 5th, 6th
13. Prince Edward Island (Bryan Cochrane)
and 7th, select routes will offer extended service until 2:15 a.m. so
16. Nunavut (Jake Higgs)
that you won’t miss a minute of the action.
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Supporting youth curling programs across Canada
3RD END BREAK | 7 P.M. GAME
SATURDAY, MARCH 7TANKARD TIMES • FEBRUARY 29 • 2020 | PAGE 11
BRIER
DRAW
TIME DRAW A B C D
2 p.m. 1 Territories vs. BC Ontario vs. Canada NL vs. Manitoba Quebec vs. Nova Scotia
TODAY 7 p.m. 2 N. Ontario vs. Alberta Nunavut vs. PEI Sask. vs Wild Card Yukon vs. NB
9 a.m. 3 Wild Card vs. Yukon Sask. vs. NB PEI vs. N. Ontario Nunavut vs. Alberta
SUNDAY 2 p.m. 4 Manitoba vs. Quebec NL vs. Nova Scotia Canada vs. Territories Ontario vs. BC
7 p.m. 5 NB vs. Canada Yukon vs. Ontario Alberta vs. NL N. Ontario vs. Manitoba
9 a.m. 6 Nova Scotia vs. PEI Quebec vs. Nunavut BC vs Sask. Territories vs. Wild Card
MONDAY 2 p.m. 7 Sask. vs Territories Wild Card vs. BC Nunavut vs. Nova Scotia PEI vs. Quebec
7 p.m. 8 NL vs. N. Ontario Manitoba vs. Alberta Ontario vs. NB Canada vs. Yukon
9 a.m. 9 BC vs. NB Territories vs. Yukon Manitoba vs. PEI NL vs. Nunavut
TUESDAY 2 p.m. 10 Alberta vs. Nova Scotia N. Ontario vs. Quebec Wild Card vs. Canada Sask. vs. Ontario
7 p.m. 11 Ontario vs. Wild Card Canada vs. Sask. Quebec vs. Alberta Nova Scotia. vs. N. Ontario
9 a.m. 12 Nunavut vs. Manitoba PEI vs. NL Yukon vs. BC NB vs. Territories
WEDNESDAY 2 p.m. 13 Quebec vs. NL Nova Scotia vs Manitoba N. Ontario vs. Nunavut Alberta vs. PEI
7 p.m. 14 Yukon vs. Sask. NB vs. Wild Card Territories vs. Ontario BC vs. Canada
8:30 a.m. 15 Tiebreakers if necessary
THURSDAY 1 p.m. 16 A4 vs. B3 B1 vs. A2 A1 vs. B4 B2 vs. A3
7 p.m. 17 A3 vs. B1 B3 vs. A1 B2 vs. A4 A2 vs. B4
1 p.m. 18 A1 vs. B2 B4 vs. A3 B3 vs. A2 B1 vs. A4
FRIDAY 7 p.m. 19 B4 vs A4 A2 vs. B2 B1 vs. A1 A3 vs. B3
TIEBREAKERS/PAGE PLAYOFFS/SEMIFINAL/FINAL
TIEBREAKERS Saturday, March 7 9 a.m. PAGE PLAYOFF 3 vs. 4 Saturday, March 7 2 p.m.
PAGE PLAYOFF 1 vs. 2 Saturday, March 7 7 p.m.
SEMIFINAL Sunday, March 8 Noon.
FINAL Sunday, March 8 7 p.m.TANKARD TIMES • FEBRUARY 29 • 2020 | PAGE 12
POOL A
2. Team 3. Team 6. Team 7. Team
Ontario Wild Card Canada Saskatchewan
Toronto Winnipeg Calgary Regina
(Leaside Curling Club) (West St. Paul Curling Club) (The Glencoe Club) (Highland Curling Club)
Skip — John Epping Skip — Mike McEwen Skip — Kevin Koe Skip — Matt Dunstone
Third — Ryan Fry Third — Reid Carruthers Third — B.J. Neufeld Third — Braeden Moskowy
Second — Mathew Camm Second — Derek Samagalski Second — Colton Flasch Second — Catlin Schneider
Lead — Brent Laing Lead — Colin Hodgson Lead — Ben Hebert Lead — Dustin Kidby
Alternate —John Morris Coach — Rob Meakin Alternate — Ted Appelman Coach — Adam Kingsbury
Coach — Jim Wilson Coach — John Dunn
EDITOR
Dave Komosky
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Grant Granger
PROUD SUPPORTERS OF THE
WRITER
2020 TIM
John Korobanik
PHOTOGRAPHER
Mike Burns Jr.
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
HORTONS
Corinne Ball
BRIERTANKARD TIMES • FEBRUARY 29 • 2020 | PAGE 13
POOL A
10. Team 11. Team 14. Team 15. Team
B.C. N.B. Yukon N.W.T
Vernon/Kelowna Oromocto Whitehorse Yellowknife
(Vernon/Kelowna Curling Clubs) (Gage Golf & Curling Club) (Whitehorse Curling Club) (Yellowknife Curling Centre)
Skip — Steve Laycock Skip — James Grattan Skip — Thomas Scoffin Skip — Jamie Koe
Third — Jim Cotter Third — Paul Dobson Third — Trygg Jensen Third — David Aho
Second — Andrew Nerpin Second — Andy McCann Second — Brett Winfield Second — Shadrach McLeod
Lead — Rick Sawatsky Lead — Jamie Brannen Lead — Joe Wallingham Lead — Cole Parsons
Alternate — Brad Wood Alternate —Chris Jeffrey Coach — Wade Scoffin Alternate — Matt Ng
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POOL B
1. Team 3.Team 5. Team 8. Team
N. Ontario Alberta N/L Manitoba
u
Sault Ste. Marie Edmonton St. John’s Morris
(Community First Curling Centre) (Saville Community Sports Centre) (RE/MAX Centre, St. John’s C.C.) (Morris Curling Club)
Skip — Brad Jacobs Skip — Brendan Bottcher Skip — Brad Gushue Skip — Jason Gunnlaugson
Third — Marc Kennedy Third — Darren Moulding Third — Mark Nichols Third — Alex Forrest
Second — E.J. Harnden Second —Brad Thiessen Second — Brett Gallant Second — Adam Casey
Lead — Ryan Harnden Lead — Karrick Martin Lead — Geoff Walker Lead — Connor Njegovan
Alternate — Lee Toner Alternate — Patrick Janssen Alternate —Jeff Thomas Coach — Garry Van Den Berghe
Coach — Rick Lang Coach — Don Bartlett Coach — Jules Owchar
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POOL B
9. Team 12. Team 14. Team 16. Team
Nova Scotia Quebec PEI Nunavut
Halifax Lacolle Cornwall
Iqaluit
(Halifax Curling Club) (Lacolle/Boucherville/Glenmore) (Cornwall Curling Club) (Iqaluit Curling Club)
Skip —Jamie Murphy Skip — Alek Bédard Skip — Bryan Cochrane Skip — Jake Higgs
Third —Paul Flemming Third —Louis Quevillon Third —Ian MacAulay Third — Dale Kohlenberg
Second — Scott Saccary Second — Emile Asselin Second — Morgan Curry Second — Christian Smitheram
Lead — Phil Crowell Lead — Bradley Lequin Lead — Mark O’Rourke Lead — Ed MacDonald
Alternate — Kevin Ouellette Alternate — Daniel Bédard Coach — Ken Sullivan Alternate — Sheldon Wettig
Coach — Quentin Vander Schaaf
Coach — Bruce Lohnes
TO OUR PARTNERS OF THE 2020 TIM HORTONS BRIER - PRESENTED BY AGI
Bill Welychka Julie Brown
Global News Morning
Weekdays 6 - 9AM Globalnews.ca/KingstonTANKARD TIMES • FEBRUARY 29 • 2020 | PAGE 16
Getting here half the ‘fun’
Tales of travel woes Kingston. But many were caught up in the chaos in Toronto.
Jason Gunnlaugson and two members of his Manitoba team were
severely punished en route to Kingston.
starting to emerge
“
“Problems? No problems. Just a little adventure in life,” grinned
Gunnlaugson, explaining his trip.
“It was tricky. Winnipeg to Toronto was having problems, so we ended
up (going to) Thunder Bay and then Toronto and driving to Kingston.”
By DAVE KOMOSKY Trouble was, the team was grounded in Thunder Bay and
W
Tankard Times Editor couldn’t get a hotel in town because a Special Olympics event was
in full swing.
inning the 2020 Tim Hortons Brier, presented by AGI, will “We only had four or five hours in Thunder Bay to begin with,”
be a difficult task, but just getting to Kingston to play in this said Gunnlaugson, “so we just stayed overnight in the airport.”
It was a little year’s event was also a difficult challenge for some teams, They did manage to eventually fly to Toronto and drove the rest
officials, fans and, yes, journalists.
wobbly coming Air travellers are used to smaller seats, fewer amenities and bizarre
of the way to Kingston, arriving just in time Friday to get in a quick
nap and then a practise session.
arrangements that allegedly bring airlines more income, but weather
in, but the pilot can be the most frustrating. And it was a winter storm that enveloped
It wasn’t a barrel of laughs, either, for Northern Ontario third
Marc Kennedy. His flight from Edmonton was diverted to Hamilton.
straightened southern Ontario that caused all the problems. When his plane landed he asked to get off so he could rent a vehicle
Everybody made it in, and the event did slide out of the hacks and drive the rest of the way to Kingston. The airline told him they
it out and we on time, but not without much anguish and frayed nerves. And for
many, the extra expenses of rental cars and hotel rooms.
weren’t going to allow the baggage to be released because the intent
was to still go to Toronto. He got off anyway and drove to Kingston.
made it. When The travel woes were reminicent of the troubles curlers had last He said the flight didn’t make it to Toronto and as of Friday
season getting to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Sydney, N.S. morning he was still awaiting the arrival of his baggage.
we landed, The bottleneck for the Brier, of course, was Pearson International The British Columbia team skipped by Steve Laycock was the
Airport in Toronto where almost all connecting flights to Kingston exception to all the chaos. The team flew into Toronto and then actually
everybody were cancelled Wednesday and Thursday. That meant many of caught what was probably the only flight into Kingston Thursday evening.
the teams had decisions to make on how they were going to get to But it was no picnic.
clapped. Kingston, still a distance away and through some nasty weather. “It was a little wobbly coming in, but the pilot straightened it out
The smart ones avoided Toronto altogether, switching flight and we made it,” said third Jim Cotter. “When we landed everybody
— Jim Cotter plans to Ottawa and renting a vehicle for the shorter hop to clapped.”
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