Frederick Maniak is the real deal.
The 75-year-old Comox resident will be representing the B.C./Yukon Command at the Royal Canadian Legion national cribbage championships, April 29 to May 2 at Laval, Que.
Maniak, who will be playing in the singles event, won the local championship at Branch 160 in Comox in January, captured the zone championship at Qualicum in February then earned the B.C./Yukon title at Princeton in March.
Maniak notes each province sends a singles, doubles and team rep to the nationals. This year a team from the Vancouver area and a doubles entry from Osoyoos will join Maniak at the Canadian finals.
"I went to nationals three years ago and was runner-up. This year in Princeton I eked out the person who represented B.C. last year," said Maniak, who figures he has been playing crib "forever."
While not willing to call the nationals the highlight of his cribbage career, Maniak said he is definitely looking forward to going. "I'm familiar with the Montreal area, I was in the military in that area," he said.
There was plenty of competition to qualify for the nationals, as Maniak notes there are about 150 Legions (17 zones) in B.C.
Maniak said the national singles are played in a round-robin format. "One of the things I like about it is that you get to play everyone," he said.
sports@comoxvalleyrecord.com