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This year, Walter Wallingham didn鈥檛 need any help.

The 56-year-old skip led his team to a 5-1 record at the Yukon Curling Association Senior Men鈥檚 Championship Dec. 18 to 20, good enough for the rink to book its second straight trip to nationals.

The 2016 Canadian senior curling championships will be held in Digby, N.S., March 19 to 26, at the Digby Area Recreation Centre.

Last year, rival skip Ray Mikkelsen filled in for Wallingham at Yukon playdowns, after the veteran skipper booked tickets to watch his son, Joe Wallingham, skip Yukon at junior nationals in Corner Brook, Nfld.

Led by Mikkelsen, Walter Wallingham鈥檚 rink bested 2013 champion George Hilderman in a best-of-three series.

This year, Wallingham and co. dominated a four-team field in a double round-robin tournament at the Whitehorse Curling Club, emerging 5-1 thanks to a final 9-3 victory over 鈥� you guessed it 鈥� Mikkelsen.

Wallingham鈥檚 roster also includes third Gord Zealand, second Ed Kormendy and lead Don Duncan. Kormendy replaces Herb Balsam, who played with Wallingham last season.

The team curls together every Tuesday and Thursday night.

鈥淭his year, we won it on our own and had to beat Ray,鈥� Wallingham told the Star last week. 鈥淲e鈥檙e very excited about going.鈥�

Wallingham and Duncan received some extra motivation when their daughters 鈥� former Scotties teammates Patty Wallingham, Chelsea Duncan and Jenna Duncan 鈥� showed up to watch their final game from the curling lounge.

Both Wallingham and Mikkelsen entered their final round-robin matchup with 4-1 records, with Wallingham emerging victorious 9-3 after just six ends.

鈥淭hey were critiquing our game pretty good,鈥� joked Walter Wallingham. 鈥淭hey were sitting up there asking why I鈥坵as calling this, and thought I鈥坰hould be calling that...鈥�

Last season, Wallingham finished 1-8 at nationals, with the lone win coming over Saskatchewan.

鈥淲e鈥檇 like to collect our thoughts and do a little better this year,鈥� he admitted.

鈥淲e鈥檇 like to come back with a few more wins than just one.鈥�

Senior nationals include players age 50 and older.

Hilderman鈥檚 rink finished second in last week鈥檚 Yukon playdowns at 4-2, while Mikkelsen went 3-3 and Darol Stuart failed to win a game in six tries.

Wallingham鈥檚 final scores were: 7-6 over Hilderman in extras, 7-5 over Stuart, a 5-4 loss to Mikkelsen, followed by second wins against Hilderman and Stuart, 7-4 and 5-2, respectively.

Three other teams also punched tickets to nationals this month, all by declaration due to lack of competition.

Leslie Grant will captain Yukon鈥檚 senior women at nationals, accompanied by third Corinne Delaire, second Joan Hyvre and lead Laura Wilson.

And in junior action, teams led by Brayden Klassen and Alyssa Meger will lead their respective rinks at the 2016 Canadian junior curling championships in Stratford, Ont.

Junior nationals will be held Jan. 23 to 31 at the Stratford Rotary Complex.

Joining Klassen are long-time running mates Spencer Wallace at third, second Trygg Jensen and lead Will Klassen (Brayden鈥檚 younger brother).

Curling with Meger will be third Emily Matthews, second Peyton L鈥橦enaff and lead Zaria Netro.

It will be Meger鈥檚 first nationals.