UPDATED TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 5:26 P.M.: Curl BC has said in a release issued late Tuesday afternoon, April 20, that the BC Mixed Doubles curling championships have not officially been awarded to the Vernon Curling Club.
“In a press release we sent yesterday there was an error with regards to an event in Vernon,” said Curl BC’s Rebecca Connop Price. “We do not yet have a host site for the Mixed Doubles event which we had stated was going to be in Vernon.”
ORIGINAL STORY
‘The Vernon Curling Club is among the host sites for Curl B.C.’s 2021-22 provincial championships.
Vernon will host the B.C. Mixed Doubles championship Feb. 9-13, as well as the curling competition at the B.C. Winter Games Feb. 24-27.
It is not yet known if COVID-19 safety protocols such as mask-wearing and distancing will be required for these events. However, it is not anticipated that these will be “bubble” events.
“We look forward to returning to competition in 2021-22 and working with municipalities, curlers and volunteers from across B.C. to make these championships a success,” said Curl BC CEO Scott Braley.
The City of Kamloops has been selected to host B.C.’s flagship curling event, the 2022 B.C. Men’s and B.C. Women’s curling championships. The two championships will be held at the same time Jan. 4-9, 2022, at the Olympic Ice at McArthur Island Sport and Event Centre.
The event was due to take place in January of this year but had to be cancelled because of the pandemic.
The 2022 event will feature the top women’s and men’s teams in B.C. as part of the 2022 Scotties BC Women’s Curling Championship, presented by Best Western, and the 2022 B.C. Men’s Curling Championship.
The 2022 event is a little earlier than normal due to the Olympic schedule pushing national events earlier.
Due to the compressed schedule for playdowns and tour events, Curl BC will only be running one open qualification event for the women’s category. The single open qualifying event will have four berths available. Men’s curling teams will continue to qualify through five regional playdowns.
Due to the 2021 provincials being cancelled, there will not be defending champions at the 2022 BC Men’s and Women’s championships. The Men’s and Women’s B.C. Curling Tours will continue to be an avenue for qualification. Vernon’s Jim Cotter, a native of Kamloops, is the last official B.C. men’s champion, having won it in 2020 pre-COVID. Cotter and teammates Rick Sawatsky of Kelowna and Andrew Nerpin of Kelowna, and Steve Laycock of Saskatoon, were selected to represent B.C. at the 2021 Tim Hortons Brier in the bubble in Calgary.
Meanwhile, the Comox Valley Curling Club will host the 2022 BC Junior Curling Championships. The event for U21 curlers will take place Feb. 22-27.
The other events that Curl BC is announcing include three 2021 championships:
The 2021 B.C. Club Championships will take place at Quesnel Curling Centre from Sept. 29-Oct. 3.
The 2021 B.C. Mixed Curling Championship will take place at Kelowna Curling Club from Oct. 5-10.
The 2021 B.C. Senior Curling Championships will take place at Abbotsford Curling Club from Oct. 19-24, 2021.
The remaining 2022 BC Championships (and additional qualifiers) being announced are:
B.C. U21 Special Worlds Qualifier – Oct. 28-31 – at Kamloops Curling Club;
B.C. U15 Challenge Cup – Nov. 5-7 – at Chilliwack Curling Club;
B.C. U18s – Dec. 28-Jan. 2 – TBA;
B.C. Stick (2-person stick curling) – Jan. 27-29 – at McArthur Island Curling Club in Kamloops;
B.C. Wheelchair – Jan. 27-29 – TBD;
B.C. Mixed Doubles – Feb. 9-13 – To Be Announced;
B.C. Masters – Feb. 15-20 – Royal City Curling Club in New Westminster;
B.C. Winter Games (U16) – Feb. 24-27 – Vernon Curling Club;
2023 Canada Winter Games Qualifier for Boys and Girls (U18) – Mar. 3-6 – Nanaimo Curling Centre;
B.C. Mixed – Mar. 10-13 – Kimberley Curling Club;
B.C. Seniors – Mar. 15-20 – Chilliwack Curling Club;
2023 Canada Winter Games Qualifier for Mixed Doubles (U20) – Mar. 16-19 – Golden Curling Club;
B.C. Club Championships – Mar. 24-27 – Trail Curling Club.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the mistake made in original press release that the B.C. Mixed Doubles curling championships would be held at the Vernon Curling Club Feb. 9-13, 2022.
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