SaltWire E-Edition

Stage being set for Canadian Senior Curling Championships

Event happening in Yarmouth Dec. 5-10

KATHY JOHNSON TRI-COUNTY VANGUARD kathy.johnson@saltwire.com

Canada’s best senior curling teams will be competing for the 2022 Everest Canadian Senior Curling Championships at the Mariners Centre and Yarmouth Curling Club from Dec. 5 to 10.

Twenty-eight teams – 14 men’s and 14 women’s from every province and territory – will be laying the hammer down for the chance to win the national championships and represent Canada at the 2023 World Senior Curling Championships.

Nick Hilton, president of the Yarmouth Golf and Curling Club, says the senior curling championships event is a great opportunity for local residents to experience national calibre competition.

“Any Canadian national curling event is top-notch,” says Hilton. “You’re going to experience some great shots and some great moments here,” he adds, with names like Northern Ontario’s Al Hackner and 10-time Scotties contender Sherry Anderson competing for the 2022 Canadian senior championships.

Then there is the transformation of the Mariners Centre from a hockey rink to a curling rink.

“It’s amazing to see the change,” says Hilton when that transformation takes place. “What a difference.”

All the glass surrounding the ice surface will come down and five sheets of curling ice will replace the hockey ice. The centre sheet will be set up for live online streaming by TSN and Curling Canada.

This will be the second national curling championship bonspiel hosted in Yarmouth in the past several years. In 2017, the Canadian Mixed Championships were held here.

“In 2017, Yarmouth put on such a great show they wanted to come back here,” says Hilton. “YASTA has partnered with us to put on this event with all the benefits coming back to the club so it’s a great partnership for both of us.”

The Yarmouth and Acadian Shores Tourism Association (YASTA) was also a partner in staging the 2017 curling championships, and has also partnered with some of the larger hockey events that have come to Yarmouth in the past as well.

“It’s a great time of the year for this event,” says YASTA executive director Neil MacKenzie. “Traditionally tourism winds down a bit in winter. As a destination, we’re trying hard to build our destination as a more year-round location for people to consider. We’re spending some dollars to promote the experiences and things to do here in the winter.”

MacKenzie says Yarmouth always does what it can to welcome people to events.

“We are in partnerships with the hotels and restaurants to make sure they are leveraging the opportunities that come with the event. Some have stepped up to be sponsors as well, so it’s really great to see.”

MacKenzie says there is a lot involved with delivering a big event like this.

“YASTA can’t do it by themselves. We need to partner with people in the community,” he says.

Opening ceremonies, a closing banquet and a traditional lobster boil for all the athletes will be part of the festivities for the senior national championships.

“We can’t have people coming from all over Canada without showing them a good

time and showing our awesome lobster we have in the area,” says MacKenzie.

Three of the four sheets at the Yarmouth Curling Club will be used for daily plays from Monday to Friday in addition to the Mariners Centre. Hilton says there are about 100 to 120 volunteers, the majority with a curling background, who will be helping out during the championships. Volunteers are still being sought for the event.

Tickets for the Canadian senior curling championships are more affordable than in 2017, says Hilton, noting, “It’s really hard to get to people out since COVID hit. They are comfy sitting home on their couches and the cost of living has made it hard to go out.”

Hilton says his goal is for everyone to experience a national curling championship once.

“For anyone in Yarmouth to experience that atmosphere to experience a local event and to cheer on teams from across Canada. Ninety percent of the world curlers live in Canada and when we go to international events, we’re one of those top-tier teams.”

Tickets for the Canadian senior curling championships are available online at Curling Canada – www.curling.ca/ 2022seniors – or by visiting or calling the Mariners Centre box office at 902-742-2155.

TRI-COUNTY VANGUARD

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2022-11-23T08:00:00.0000000Z

2022-11-23T08:00:00.0000000Z

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