The Lacombe Curling Club is hosting their annual U15/U18 Bonspiel from Nov. 24th-26th.
“At the moment we have nine teams in U18. We did have two teams from Chinese coming to play but unfortunately they were unable to get their visas to come in time. In the U15, we have 20 teams,” Organizer Myra Winslow said.
The bonspiel welcomes curlers from all over Canada an the world and is an open tournament, meaning teams can consist of any combination of boys or girls.
“We try to have a fun tournament and they gain curling experience from curling against other teams in their own age groups,” Winslow said.
The level of competition tends to be very high, with the older age group playing with a lot at stake.
“The U18 talent level is extremely high,” Winslow said. “This is a registered bonspiel in the U18 Curling Tour. If they win here, they earn points.”
The organizers are not currently looking for more rinks in the U15 level, however the U18 is able to accept one more team before the Nov. 12th deadline.
“In the U15 category we have a team coming from Korea - Team Choi and a contact from Edmonton is helping look after them,” Winslow said. “They will do this bonspiel and we also have two teams from the North West Territories. One of the teams is coming from last year and the other is coming because they heard about the bonspiel. They are coming to join us.”
All the teams will play Friday, Saturday and Sunday if they make the playoffs. All six ice sheets will be in use throughout the weekend. The Curling Club is currently looking for volunteers to help the weekend run smoothly.
If you would like to volunteer or have any questions, you can contact Bonspiel Coordinator Doug Ayer at 403-782-4327.
todd.vaughan@reddeerexpress.com