Lois Fowler finally has what she has come so close to getting several times – a Canadian curling championship.

“I really don't know if it's sunk in to tell you the truth,” said Fowler who was greeted by friends and family at Winnipeg’s Richardson International Airport. “It's such a dream come true.”

The Brandon, Man. skip played alongside third Maureen Bonar, second Cathy Gauthier, and lead Allyson Stewart. Team Manitoba beat Saskatchewan 5-1 on Saturday in the final game of the Canadian Senior Women’s Curling Championship in Yellowknife.

The Fowler foursome becomes the first Manitoba senior women’s team to win since Mable Mitchell won the title in 1983.

“I’ve got 2 bronze and a silver and now finally gold and this is Cathy’s fourth Canadian title and for the four us, we’re just all thrilled it happened together,” Fowler said.

Gauthier, who hails from Winnipeg, is known for her work on TSN on the broadcasting side of curling. Had it not been an Olympic year, she says her TV commitments would’ve made playing on team Manitoba impossible.

“For me I didn’t even think that this was going to be possible. And the only reason it was, is because the Olympics moved the Scotties. Normally the senior play downs are the same time,” Gauthier said.

“And I’m way too old and I like telling people what they should do on TV better than actually delivering on the ice,” she joked. “I found it a lot harder to actually deliver on the ice, I’m not going to lie.”

Team Manitoba will represent Canada at the World Senior Curling Championships in 2015 at a location yet to be announced. Gauthier says that will be her swan song.

“This is it for me. And so knowing that next year my leaving the sport will be at the worlds is just a storybook ending.”

Manitoba men fall short

Neepawa’s Kelly Robertson almost made it a championship double dip for Manitoba, but will have settle for silver.

He had an 8-7 lead through 9 ends in the final game, but gave up 2 points in the 10th end and lost 9-8 to Nova Scotia.

Robertson, who won the Canadian Senior Men’s title in 2011, said his team battled through sickness during the championship and was happy with their effort.

"We kind of toughed it out,” Robertson said. “Over the past 4 years we've done a lot of winning, so really proud of the guys."