Seattle set to host 20 teams for 2010 U.S. Mixed Doubles Championship

Stevens Point, Wis. - Twenty teams will compete at the third edition of the U.S. Mixed Doubles Championship set to be contested Dec. 3-6 at the Granite Curling Club in Seattle. This is the largest pool of teams since the event began in 2007 with half of the competing field hailing from the host club.

Among the competing teams is defending champion Cristin Clark (Lynnwood, Wash.), who won the title with husband Brady Clark last season and went on to finish 18th at the World Mixed Doubles in Italy. Clark is teaming up this year with Sean Beighton (Edmonds, Wash.), who has competed at the national junior level previously. Clark also is a six-time U.S. mixed national champion.

Also in the mix are 2008 finalists Derek Surka and Charrissa Lin (both of New Haven, Conn.) and 2009 semifinalist Steve Lundeen (Seattle), who is competing this year with new partner Elizabeth Coffin (Mountlake Terrace, Wash.).

Family ties are the overwhelming theme at the 2010 U.S. Mixed Doubles. Of the competing Seattle-area teams, sisters Jaynie Pleasants, Cindy Kozai and Sharon Vukich all have teams. Vukich's daughter, Emily Good, and son, Jake Vukich, have formed a team meaning they'll also compete against their uncle Jim Pleasants, husband of Jaynie. The Pleasants' are one of three competing married couples. They join Surka and Lin and Bart and Abigail Read (Appleton, Maine).