Thirty-two rinks will descend upon the Glen Meadows Curling Club Feb. 6 to 9 for their annual Masters Open Bonspiel.
The event draws teams from across Greater Victoria, Duncan and Mill Bay and is open to male, female and mixed rinks whose players are age 55 or higher. Bonspiel Co-ordinator Ian Cole says there will be at least two rinks whose players are in their 80s.
The event is the final Masters bonspiel in a series of club events held throughout Greater Victoria. Cole said the Victoria, Esquimalt and Juan de Fuca clubs each hold a bonspiel and many teams compete in all of them, as they hone their skills en route to zone finals or provincial championships. There are a couple Glen Meadows rinks, Cole said, that will be looking at advancing to those higher-level events.
With 32 teams scheduled to compete, Cole said matches get under way at 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 6 and each day, continuing to final games at 3 or 3:30 p.m. Action wraps up at around 5 or 5:30 p.m., depending on the time it takes to complete the ends. Each rink plays two game every day.
Both male and female teams take part, as well as mixed rinks. Cole added there is a Masters women’s event scheduled to take place in the region at the same time, so there may not be as many women’s team as last year.
Winners in each of the four divisions receive their entry fee back, plus a little extra. Most rinks, Cole said, can expect to get a little something back for their efforts.
The finals of the bonspiel will be Friday, Feb. 9. The public is welcome to come out the Glen Meadows and watch the action on the ice.
“This is all competitive, fun recreational curling.”
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