ATHABASCA — Members of curling clubs in Athabasca and Boyle are back in the hack for the winter and if you haven’t been there, you’re missing out on history being made.
After a season cut short last year, the Boyle and Athabasca curling clubs are happy to be back on the pebbled ice, following the Restrictions Exemption Program in both facilities, and the men in particular, after a rare eight-ender for one team Nov. 2 in Athabasca.
“All four of us have been curling for a long time. I've personally been curling 45 years,” said skip Trevor Martin, who led his team to the rare event. “That's my first and that's all of our first actually.”
An eight-ender is so rare the Canadian Curling Association has an award for anyone across the country who scores it. It’s difficult to get all eight of your rocks into the house, let alone keep all eight there while preventing any from your opponent to even touch the rings, and is like bowling a perfect game of 300 or the one-in-12,000 chance of hitting a hole-in-one golfing. Some say you’re more likely to be struck by lightning than score an eight-ender; a one-in-5,000 chance.
“My dad got one when he was younger, so it's kind of cool too; he was pretty excited about it,” Martin said.
And beyond that thrilling event, there is still room for curlers of all levels to join in Athabasca explained ACC secretary Darlene Day.
“To encourage curlers to sign up at this time of uncertainty, the curling is broken up into two sessions - one before Christmas which started Oct. 18, and one after Christmas, starting Jan. 10, 2022,” said Day. “Most teams have committed to curling the entire season, but new teams are welcome to join after Christmas.”
Athabasca hosts Men’s League Tuesday nights, Fun League Wednesdays, Mixed League on Thursdays and Doubles every second Friday.
“There is drop-in curling on Thursday afternoons starting at 1 p.m. for anyone interested. It’s not just for seniors,” she said. “Juniors run on Thursdays from 6 to 7 p.m. with Cheryl Gorski instructing and Ryan Breckenridge assisting. Any students Grade 6 and up are welcome.”
Boyle and District Curling Club (BDCC) president Candy Nikipelo is also excited to be sweeping this season even if the leagues are Men's and Ladies' only.
“Men's is on Tuesdays; Ladies' is on Wednesdays. We haven't had a Mixed League for quite a few years but we have a solid group for both Men's and Ladies’,” she said. "We've lost a few curlers here in the last year ... but we're pretty steady with our core group. We're not a big curling club, but it's a solid curling club.”
Next on the list is planning the bonspiels, brooms crossed, health regulations stay the same or even get lifted.
“We are full steam ahead. We're planning on having three bonspiels,” said Nikipelo. “So, Ladies' first. It goes Ladies', Men's, Mixed, and Mixed is our last one and that's always our big one at the end of March.”
Athabasca will also be hosting several bonspiels, Day said.
“The club will be holding the usual three bonspiels in 2022: Mixed Bonspiel runs January 7-9, Ladies' Bonspiel is March 10-13, and Men’s Bonspiel is March 18-20.”
And to encourage more curlers to join, the ACC is moving to a modified Mixed league after Christmas, meaning the Skip and Third must be different sexes and the lead and second can be either.
For more information e-mail ACC at [email protected] or through their Facebook page and for BDCC call or text Nikipelo at 780-689-8868 or their Facebook page.
