Already a world class tournament, this weekB次元官网网址檚 Victoria Curling Classic is seeing a boost in competition, up to 24 teams from 16.

With many of the teams here for the Ford World MenB次元官网网址檚 Curling Championship in town later this month, the Archie Browning Sports Centre is being touted as a preview of the Worlds, and rightly so.

And by no means is it a practice round, said Neil Dangerfield, skip of VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 only entry in the Classic.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a $25,000 incentive to curl your best. I canB次元官网网址檛 imagine anyone is going to be not trying to win. No one worries about peaking too early,B次元官网网址� he said.

It should, however, warm up the Victoria fans for the worlds, March 30 to April 7 at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.

ItB次元官网网址檚 been two years since the Dangerfield rink lost in the provincial final. A regular at the Victoria Curling Classic, their best is a quarterfinal loss. This season Dangerfield and company, third Dennis Sutton, second Darren Boden and lead Glen Allen, have made the semifinals of   a cash spiel in Kamloops and lost in the final of the Vancouver Island Shootout, held in Victoria back in November.

Boden is out however, on vacation, with local skip Jason Clarke playing in his place. DangerfieldB次元官网网址檚 first draw is tonight, 7:30 p.m., against WinnipegB次元官网网址檚 Mike McEwen.

The ClassicB次元官网网址檚 field speaks for itself. Returning are regulars, Olympic champion rink Kevin Martin and four-time world champion rink Glen Howard, among others. Also here are NorwayB次元官网网址檚 2010 Olympic silver medalist rink Thomas Ulsrud, and ScotlandB次元官网网址檚 two-time world runner up rink, Tom Brewster. Again, among others.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 usually a strong field and this year itB次元官网网址檚 particularly strong. But it will still come down to whoB次元官网网址檚 got the hot hand, and it will come down to one or two big shots," Dangerfield said.

B次元官网网址淥bviously next week is the bigger prize. You canB次元官网网址檛 upstage that.B次元官网网址�