The Provincial Women’s Curling Championship has kicked off in St. Andrews.
An invitation was sent to the Heather Curling Club (HCC) in March and volunteers have been preparing for months.
The tournament is the format of TKO and teams will play two shifts a day. (Nathalie Sturgeon/The Courier)
HCC president Roger McNabb said the 100-plus years the curling club has been in business has prepared them well for success in a large and significant tournament.
“It is certainly exciting to have a provincial tournament like this coming to St. Andrews this time of year when things are pretty slow,” he said in a previous interview with The Courier. “We hope that the town will appreciate having this event.”
For Mayor Brad Henderson, these types of events present an opportunity to bolster sports tourism during the town’s shoulder season.
“Those yield so much potential to bring people to our community in the shoulder seasons in the winter, and we’ve seen it,” Henderson said from the opening ceremonies of the tournament. “When our community is the busiest is when there’s a hockey tournament going on up here or a big curling, and this weekend should be no different.”
Melissa Adams and her team are looking to defend the title. (Nathalie Sturgeon/The Courier)
He said St. Andrews has been recognized as a place where tournaments like these can be held and done well, which is no doubt why it was chosen this year.
“It is a small facility with only three sheets, but if you know, Verne Lister and his team, anyone that’s ever been on this ice will say that it’s improved every year to the point where it could be across the province, considered a high-level Playing surface.”
St. Croix MLA Kathy Bockus was also on hand to welcome the curling tournament.
“It is amazing to have a provincial championship in this little corner of the province,” she said.
Bockus said it was also amazing to see the ages of the women playing, all of whom have competed in this tournament in the past.
“I’m sure that the next three or four days are going to be so exciting here for the residents to watch, and hopefully, visitors to come and watch. It’s amazing,” she said.
The tournament lasts for five days and will wrap up on Jan. 19. (Nathalie Sturgeon/The Courier)
The tournament is in the TKO format, and each team will play two shifts a day until Saturday, McNabb explained.
Seven teams are competing for the championship title including the defending champions, captained by Melissa Adams, two teams from the Capital Winter Club, three teams from Curl Moncton, and one from the Gage Curling Club.
Games will begin on Jan. 16 and run until Jan. 19.
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