Curling Canada has announced that Sudbury has been chosen to host the next Canadian Under-18 Boys and Girls Curling Championship in 2020.
The country’s up and coming curling stars aged 17 and under, as of June 20, 2019, from 14 associations in both genders will compete in the Nickel City for their respective national titles.
Teams will compete April 21 – 26, 2020 at two local rinks: Idylwylde Golf and Country Club and Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
It will be the fourth annual national tournament for this age group.
“The growth of this event, both in terms of national awareness and enthusiasm among the young athletes, has truly been exciting and it speaks to how important it is in the development of our sport’s future. Sudbury curling fans will have a unique opportunity see potential future world champions and Olympic gold-medallists, with many of them getting their first exposure to national-level competition. That’s what makes this event so special.” said Maureen Miller, Chair of Curling Canada’s Board of Governors.
The 14 teams will be split up into two seven-team pools to play eight-end round-robin games, with the top four teams in each pool advancing to a double-knockoff playoff. From there, the field will be cut in half to four final qualifiers who will play in Olympic-style semifinals.
"Curling has an incredibly proud history across northern Ontario and it’s an honour for Greater Sudbury to be the host community for the 2020 U18 National Curling Championships. This an important opportunity to showcase not only what Greater Sudbury has to offer on a national level, but more importantly to give the next generation of Canadian curlers a very special opportunity to showcase their hard work, dedication, and skill throughout this exciting week.” said Sudbury Mayor Brian Bigger.
The first Canadian U18 Championships were help in 2017 in Moncton, New Brunswick, where Northern Ontario teams ‘swept the goal medals.’ This year, a team that plays out of Sudbury’s Idylwylde club won gold at the 2019 national championships and the Canada Winter games in Alberta. Three members of that team, Bella and Piper Croisier and Lauren Rajala will still be able to compete next season, while the fourth member, Jamie Smith, has aged out into juniors.
Two-time Canadian university curling champion Jen Gates along with Barb Nott will co-chair the event.
“The U18 championships are a great way for them to get the opportunity to represent their province on the national stage and gain valuable experience. This event allows our youth curlers to become better prepared and more confident as they move forward in their careers.” said Gates.
Leslie Kerr is the executive director of the Northern Ontario Curling Association.
“There is a committed group of volunteers in Sudbury who will be working extremely hard over the next year to make sure Canada’s best young curlers, their coaches and their families are welcomed with open arms.” said Kerr.
