The Everest Canadian Curling Club Championships will debut in Manitoba in 2023, it was announced today by Curling Canada.
Winnipeg’s Assiniboine Memorial Curling Club (AMCC) will welcome some of Canada’s most talented grassroots and club-level curlers for the competition from Nov. 19-25, 2023. The event features 14 men’s and women’s teams representing each Member Association – 10 provinces, three territories and Northern Ontario. All teams are competing for a chance to achieve something many grassroots curlers dream of, winning a national championship.
“There’s excellence in curling at all levels of our sport, and it is especially found at clubs in every city and town across Canada, where curlers connect and bond over the game. The Everest Canadian Curling Club Championships are for those curlers. The ones who make curling a special game and who have aspirations and dreams of wearing the colours of their province or territory on a national stage and competing to be the best in Canada,” said Curling Canada CEO Katherine Henderson. “Many curlers aspire to win a national championship and – thanks to our partners in Everest – this event ensures club-level curlers have that opportunity to become a Canadian champion.”
The Everest Canadian Curling Club Championships are for recreational, club-level curlers who don’t have the time or resources to compete at the high-performance level; the event gives those curlers the exciting opportunity to represent their home province or territory at a Canadian championship.
“We are elated to continue this partnership with Curling Canada as the title sponsor of the Canadian Curling Club Championships for the third consecutive year,” said Everest CEO Mark Duffey. “The Club Championships have been such a success so far. We love celebrating the grassroots competitiveness of curling at the club level which gives curlers an opportunity to represent their home province or territory on the national stage.”
Renowned Canadian curler Randy Ferbey proudly asserts, “as we continue to honour and foster this special community, we are thrilled to have our curling Executive Committee (consisting of himself, Jennifer Jones, and Cheryl Bernard) on board to promote the sport at the 2023 Everest Canadian Curling Club Championships in the famously-friendly Winnipeg, Manitoba!”
It will be the first time Manitoba has hosted the event. However, women’s teams from Manitoba have won Canadian club championships a leading four times throughout the event since the inaugural one in 2009.
Manitoba’s Team Stacey Fordyce (Brandon, Man.) is a two-time national champion, having won the event in 2013 and 2017. Manitoban women have also won the club championship in 2011 (Team Meghan Armit, Winnipeg) and 2016 (Tracy Andries, Winnipeg).
“We can’t wait to welcome the Everest Canadian Curling Club Championships to Manitoba next year. The Assiniboine Memorial Curling Club is one of the most reputable clubs in our province and the perfect venue for hosting an event that captures the spirit of curling on and off the ice,” said CurlManitoba Executive Director Craig Baker.
Founded in 1929, AMCC is an 8-sheet facility that has hosted several provincial and national competitions, most notably the 2011 Canadian Masters Men’s and Women’s Championships, two Canadian Stick Curling Championships and numerous provincial championships for curlers from juniors to seniors. The club’s annual commitments include the 64-team Provincial Aboriginal Bonspiel, the 32-team city-wide Senior Bonspiel, the world-renowned MCA Bonspiel, and many company outings. The club’s willingness to host these significant events has enhanced its reputation within the local curling scene and directly resulted from a strong volunteer base.
“On behalf of the organizing committee, the board of directors, and the members of the AMCC we are honoured to have the opportunity to host such a prestigious national event. The AMCC is not only the home of many provincial, national and world champions but are also blessed with an incredible group of hardworking volunteers. It is these volunteers, along with the host committee, who are eager to showcase our facility and hospitality as they compete for a national championship. We look forward to ensuring that the time spent at our club and city during their stay will be filled with fond memories of the 2023 Everest Curling Club Championship!” said AMCC President Ken Onagi.
Overall, Alberta and Ontario have won three men’s titles each, followed by British Columbia and Saskatchewan with two each; Newfoundland & Labrador and Nova Scotia have won once.
Manitoba has won four times on the women’s side, followed by Ontario and Alberta with three titles each; Prince Edward Island and Northern Ontario have each won once.
The 2022 Everest Canadian Curling Club Championships will be hosted at the West Edmonton Mall Ice Palace from Nov. 20-26, 2022.