The first major tournament to be held at the brand new Chilliwack Curling and Community Centre will be the 2019 Everest Canadian Senior Men’s and Women’s Curling Championships.
The event for male and female curlers ages 50-and-up will be held March 22-28.
The new eight-sheet facility is currently in the final stages of construction and scheduled to open in late October or early November.
“It’s truly exciting for our sport when we see new curling centres being built, and having the Everest Canadian Seniors as part of the opening season will make it a truly memorable event in Chilliwack,” said Resby Coutts, Chair of Curling Canada’s Board of Governors. “I know there’s a great group of volunteers in place in Chilliwack who will make sure Canada’s elite senior players are welcomed with open arms.”
It will be the first time Chilliwack has hosted the Everest Canadian Seniors, but not the first time Chilliwack has hosted a major event.
Alberta’s Cathy King won the Canadian Junior Women’s Championship in Chilliwack in 1978 and Chilliwack hosted the World Financial Group Continental Cup in 2006.
“The City of Chilliwack is proud to host the 2019 Everest Canadian Senior Curling Championships,” said Chilliwack Mayor Sharon Gaetz. “We look forward to welcoming many talented senior curlers from across Canada to our new Chilliwack Curling and Community Centre and showing them a little bit of what our wonderful city has to offer.”
It will be the fourth time the Everest Canadian Seniors have been staged in British Columbia since the men’s and women’s events were combined in 1985.
In 1987 at Prince George, Manitoba’s Norm Houck and Nova Scotia’s Verda Kemton won Canadian titles. Four years later in Victoria, it was Manitoba’s Jim Ursel and Northern Ontario’s Eila Brown coming out on top.
At the 2004 Canadian Seniors in Vernon, Newfoundland/Labrador’s Bas Buckle and Ontario’s Anne Dunn were crowned champions, and in 2012 in Abbotsford, Alberta’s Rob Armitage and Alberta’s Cathy King won national titles.
Prior to 1985, Quebec’s Jim Wilson won the Canadian Senior Men’s championship in 1981 in Nanaimo, and Don MacRae of the host province won in 1970 at Kamloops.
B.C.’s Flora Martin won the 1979 Canadian Senior Women’s championship at Vernon.
“We have a lot of curling fans and tremendous volunteers in the Chilliwack area, and with the excitement that accompanies the opening of the new Chilliwack Curling and Community Centre, I know it’s going to be a great show next March,” said Scott Braley, Chief Executive Officer of Curl B.C.
The winner of the 2019 Everest Canadian Seniors will represent Canada at the 2020 World Senior Men’s and Women’s Curling Championships (dates, location TBD).
The Canadian Senior Men’s Championship began in 1965 in Port Arthur, Ont. Since then, Ontario and Manitoba each have won a leading 12 titles. The Canadian Senior Women’s Championship began in 1973 in Ottawa. Ontario has won a leading 10 crowns.
“The Chilliwack Curling and Community Centre is looking forward to hosting the Everest Canadian Seniors Championships,” said Claude Latulippe, Chair of the Chilliwack Organizing Committee. “We plan to showcase our new eight-sheet curling facility, which will provide a venue worthy of the calibre of competition. At the same time, local talent will be entertaining during the week, ensuring a memorable time for all.”
Selected games from the 2019 Everest Canadian Seniors will be streamed live by CBC Sports.
