Esquimalt is hosting the B.C. Curling Championships this week, with teams across the province vying for a chance to compete in the Canadian championships later this winter.
The event usually takes place in a curling club, but this year the organizers from the Esquimalt Curling Club and Curl BC decided to rent out the Archie Browning Sport Centre.
B次元官网网址淧utting it in an arena is a whole new set of challenges,B次元官网网址� Esquimalt Curling Club president Alan Teasdale said.
So far, the turnout has been pretty good.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 probably 100 people in there today, which is pretty good for the morning draw,B次元官网网址� Teasdale on Wednesday (Jan. 24).
This included students from EsquimaltB次元官网网址檚 Rockheights Middle School, who got the chance to go out on the ice and test their skills.
B次元官网网址淭hey got a chance to fool around on the ice, and then after that they went and sat cheered on the teams in the arena,B次元官网网址� Teasdale said.
Renting out the arena does have a cost, but the municipality has given the organizers a discount, Teasdale said.
CurlingB次元官网网址檚 popularity took a bit of dip in recent years with two of the four Greater Victoria curling clubs closing just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Teasdale said, but the local clubs have seen a slight uptick in membership recently.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 nice to see the downward trends somewhat reversed and going up,B次元官网网址� he said.
The womanB次元官网网址檚 competition will be a round robin, with a playoff on Saturday and the finals on Sunday morning at 9 a.m.
MenB次元官网网址檚 competitions will be in a triple knockout format, also with playoffs on Saturday and finals on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Last yearB次元官网网址檚 womenB次元官网网址檚 champs, VancouverB次元官网网址檚 Team Grandy will be returning after reaching the semifinals in the Scotties Tournament of Hearts womenB次元官网网址檚 Canadian championships.
Victoria locals Team Gaultier won last yearB次元官网网址檚 menB次元官网网址檚 B.C. championships, but the team roster has changed, and it is now called Team Schneider. Gaultier was eliminated in the pool rounds at the Montana Brier Canadian championships.
There was initially supposed to be a wheelchair competition this year, but Teasdale said that in the end only one team had signed up due to cost of ferries and accommodation, so it was cancelled.
Tickets for the events are $15 per person during the week, and $20 per person on the weekend.
READ MORE:
