Curling History Made: Octogenarian Team Scores Near-Impossible Eight-Ender
Calgary, AB — In early November 2024, a remarkable team of curlers at Calgary’s Garrison Curling Club achieved what many consider curling’s equivalent of a hole-in-one: a perfect eight-ender. What makes this feat even more extraordinary is that two of the team members are in their 80s, and one accomplished it on her first day back on the ice after receiving a pacemaker.
Team Saunders — consisting of skip Ingrid Saunders (88), Flo Volcko (81), Barb Aasen, and Nancy Matyas — executed what the Garrison Curling Club’s general manager Steve Cloutier describes as exponentially rarer than a hole-in-one in golf.
The Near-Impossible Odds
An eight-ender occurs when all eight of a team’s stones score in a single end, with none of the opposing team’s rocks displacing them. According to Cloutier, the odds speak volumes about the achievement’s rarity.
“A hole in one in golf, the odds are one in 12,000,” Cloutier explained. “An eight-ender in curling is one in 120,000, so most people don’t come anywhere close to it.”
Perfect Execution on a Comeback Day
For Flo Volcko, throwing skip stones that day, the timing couldn’t have been more dramatic. The 81-year-old had just returned to the ice following a medical procedure.
“Because I had a pacemaker put in and this was my first day back curling. No warmup, no anything—I just got on the ice,” Volcko recalled. “The curling gods were with me because I made two of the most perfect shots to take them out and gave us an eight-ender.”
Ingrid Saunders, who has been curling for half a century and threw the lead rocks in the historic end, described the team’s performance simply: “Our team played perfectly.”
The stunning outcome was entirely unplanned. “After I saw six yellow stones, my mind was working and it worked,” Saunders remembered.
Lightning Strikes Twice
In a twist that defies probability even further, this wasn’t Volcko’s first eight-ender. She previously achieved the rare feat at a women’s bonspiel in Banff in 1992 — more than three decades ago.
“I love curling,” Volcko said. “I love the camaraderie and the challenge.”
When asked about her curling future, Volcko smiled: “Maybe until I’m 90. We hope a couple more years.”
A Testament to Experience
The achievement demonstrates that curling truly is a sport for life, where decades of experience, strategic thinking, and precision can produce perfection regardless of age. For Saunders, with 50 years on the ice, and Volcko, who has been curling long enough to score eight-enders in two different decades, their combined expertise was the foundation of this historic moment.
During the perfect end, each of the team’s eight stones found the house while the opposing team’s attempts to dislodge them proved unsuccessful. The coordination between skip, vice-skip, second, and lead was flawless, with sweeping decisions and shot calls executed to perfection.
Rarer Than Olympic Gold
Eight-enders remain so uncommon that there has never been one at the Olympics, the Tournament of Hearts, or the Brier — Canada’s premier curling championships. This makes Team Saunders’ club-level achievement all the more remarkable.
When the final stone came to rest, securing all eight points, curlers from adjacent sheets gathered to witness and verify the rare accomplishment. The team has become the talk of the Garrison Curling Club, cementing their place in local curling lore.
Recognition and Legacy
The team’s achievement will be submitted to Curling Canada for official recognition, including commemorative pins and certificates. The Garrison Curling Club is expected to honor Team Saunders with their names added to a special plaque recognizing this historic moment.
For a team featuring two curlers in their 80s — one returning from a pacemaker procedure — to achieve what elite competitive teams rarely manage is more than a statistical anomaly. It’s a celebration of lifelong passion, dedication, and the enduring joy of competition.
The story of Team Saunders serves as inspiration to curlers everywhere: excellence has no expiration date, and sometimes the curling gods smile on those who refuse to let age or adversity keep them from the sport they love.
About the Team
Ingrid Saunders (Skip, 88): With 50 years of curling experience, Saunders threw the lead rocks in the historic eight-ender.
Flo Volcko (81): Throwing skip stones on her first day back after pacemaker surgery, Volcko scored her second career eight-ender (first was in Banff, 1992).
Barb Aasen: Key member of the championship end.
Nancy Matyas: Contributing to the team’s perfect execution.
Eight-enders occur approximately once in every 120,000 ends played, making them one of the rarest achievements in curling. Teams who score eight-enders in Canada receive recognition from Curling Canada with commemorative pins and certificates.
