Westlock will once again host the Boston Pizza Cup, slated for Feb. 5-9, 2020.
Curling Alberta made the announcement May 10, choosing the Rotary Spirit Centre as the venue for the 2020 provincial men’s curling championship.
The winner of the event will go on to compete in the Tim Horton’s Brier to face the best in the country in Kingston, Ont., and possibly at the World Curling Championships, or Olympics.
“Our volunteers are already hard at work,” said Westlock Curling Club treasurer and BP Cup organizing committee co-chair Stephane Gervais. “We have our sights set on delivering a truly memorable experience. Hosting the Alberta Boston Pizza Cup is a significant source of pride for our community, all thanks to our volunteers, sponsors and partners who band together to help us showcase who we are and what we are capable of.”
After successfully hosting the 2017 event, the curling club was approached by Curling Alberta to consider hosting it again.
“The Westlock Curling Club was also the host committee back in 2017, and we couldn’t be happier to have the event back in their capable hands,” said Curling Alberta’s executive director Jill Richard.
“The 2017 event earned a reputation as being among the most successful provincial championships in Alberta’s history and we’re looking forward to another home run. The community in Westlock is tremendously supportive -- I’m sure that all their guests will be treated like royalty.”
The 12-team draw, made up of the best men’s teams in Alberta, will include eight teams that earn berths through provincial qualifying tournaments along with two other teams based on the Canadian Team Ranking System and two teams based on points collected through competing in other Alberta-based events.
“I’ve been told that we have one of the best facilities for this kind of event. The Spirit Centre is a wonderful facility to host it in,” said curling club director and event co-chair of press and publicity Mike Taylor.
“We were told the last time we had curlers there that had been to 10 or 12 of these events and ours was the best one they’d ever been to.”
Planning for the event is obviously in its initial stages, but the organizing committee is already in the midst of applying for grants it hopes will help fund the event. The details, including how many volunteers will be needed, will be formalized as the event draws nearer.
“We will definitely be looking for volunteers. Our volunteer base was wonderful (in 2017) and we will be needing them again. That will be closer to the event,” said Taylor, noting about 150 to 175 will be needed, which is a little less than 2017.
“We had about 200 in 2017, which was a few too many, but it’s way better than not enough.”
The semifinal matches and final game of the tournament on Feb. 9 will also be broadcast on Sportsnet.
