Next year is set to kick off with the Chilliwack Curling Club hosting both the men’s and women’s provincial curling championships for British Columbia.
The women’s tournament, the BC Scotties, and the BC Men’s Curling Championship will be held side-by-side, with some games taking place simultaneously on the same rink. The winners of both events will qualify for the prestigious Canadian national championships, the Scotties Tournament of Hearts and Brier, respectively. The men’s tournament will include 12 teams, with the BC Scotties having an eight-team field. Both events will use a triple-elimination system that leads to a four-team page playoff after a week of competition.
The participants in both tournaments will be determined by national rankings, as well as open qualifiers held in December. Last year’s men’s champions, Team Brent Pierce, will be returning to defend their crown. The 2022 champion women’s team headed up by Mary-Anne Arsenault will not be, but Kamloops’ Team Corryn Brown has already been confirmed for the BC Scotties. Curling tournaments, or bonspiels, occur at all levels and use everything from flyer printing to online streaming to attract an audience. Similar events are held in each province and territory, being the first step to the world championship for many curlers.
The BC Scotties and Men’s Curling Championship will take place between January 10 and 15 at the Chilliwack Curling Club.
