WESTLOCK— The annual curling funspiel and cornhole tournament was held on Saturday, Feb. 8, at the Servus Curling Centre. Hosted by the Westlock Curling Club, the event proved to be a hit among participants, despite a shift from the traditional three-day format to only one day due to limited interest.
“This year, we've changed up the format a bit, so we're just running on Saturday, just because we didn't have quite as many teams as we thought we would. Unfortunately, there just wasn't enough interest,” said Ryan Craig Westlock Curling Club general manager.
Participants in the tournament ranged from first timers who had never curled before, to seasoned veterans who boasted over 55 years’ experience.
Entering the arena, the excitement was palpable. Loud shouts could be heard echoing off the walls of the arena, as players shouted words like ‘Whoa!’ and ‘Hurry hard!’— phrases that hold much deeper meaning to those well-versed in the sport. The tournament had a relaxed, friendly atmosphere, with competitiveness present, yet placed second to comradery and community.
He adds, “Everyone who's showed up has had a lot of fun. So that's the main thing, and we'll try and build from there.”
The tournament was structured in a "stack style" competition, meaning that the winning team earned 50 per cent of the total prize pool from the losing team, creating a friendly dynamic that was as competitive as players made it to be.
40 players participated in the tournament (four per team) for a total of 10 teams. The entry fee was $300 per team. $150 of this went directly to the curling club to host similar events in the future; the remaining $150 is what teams began the tournament with, losing half of the other team’s cash pool with each draw lost. At the end of the day, the team with the most money took home their winnings.
Team Clark took home the gold, with team Sommers sweeping in second— both teams taking home winnings of more than $350. The cornhole tournament saw team Sommers on the podium again, this time in first place, and team Schiller close behind in second.
Players were allowed to use sticks if they preferred to accommodate players of all mobility levels. Stick curling is an alternative method to the traditional sliding technique used to throw the curling rock that allows curlers to remain in a standing position. According to Curling Alberta, stick curling is growing in popularity exponentially, with Alberta being home to Canada’s largest stick curling community as of November 2024.
Echoing this statistic, Craig said, “We do offer both styles of play. We've really seen a lot more people come back into curling once they hear we have this stick option now, which is great.”
Pauline Ruxton, member of team Sheehan who placed fourth in curling, has been curling for 55 years. “I like the strategy of the game,” she said. Ruxton recently started using a stick to throw, crediting the years of curling as taking their toll on the knees. “It's a little different strategy when you're stick curling than regular curling. So it's good. I love it.”
In addition to the curling action, a cornhole tournament ran simultaneously upstairs, adjacent to the viewing area and was structured in a double elimination style. Both events were designed to foster comradery and community spirit, rather than intense, competitive battles.
Following the final matches, all participants were treated to a steak dinner, prepared by Carrie Gervais, Steph Gervais, Kerri Gervais, Pat Dube and Dave Byvank— volunteers from the club who braved the cold weather to grill 50 steaks and prepare the sides. The meal was included in the entry fee and provided players the opportunity to unwind and share their experiences from the day's events. Despite the shortened schedule, participants expressed their enjoyment of the event, and of curling in general.
For those interested in giving curling a go, Craig encourages those of all skill levels to drop in on Wednesdays from 2 to 4:30 p.m. for the club’s $7 open stick curling sessions or enrol in their upcoming tournaments. For more information, go to westlockcurling.com.
