Top crokinole players from Summerland will travel to Oliver this weekend for a tournament.
The annual B.C. Provincial Crokinole Championship on March 1 will draw players from across Canada and beyond.
In the past, the tournament has been dominated by some strong players from Ontario, but this year, most of the participants will be from Western Canada, said Ed Ripley of Summerland’s crokinole club.
He said the tournament will be competitive and exciting for those participating.
“Your heart gets pounding as if you were in the Olympics,” he said.
Action will begin at 7 a.m. and is expected to finish at 4 p.m.
Ripley and others grew up playing the game, but it has gone through some changes over the years.
Instead of a hexagonal board, today’s boards are round.
The pegs near the centre have rubber on them, which changes the way the pieces will behave.
Games are fast, lasting seven minutes each.
Summerland crokinole players meet each Monday evening at the Seniors’ Drop-in Centre from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
The club normally draws 10 to 12 players of all ages.
The tournament will also mark the end of the season for the Summerland club, with play resuming in September.
