For the first time in the history of curling in Alberta, the coveted women’s and men’s provincial championships, known as the Sentinel Storage Alberta Scotties Tournament of Hearts and the Boston Pizza Cup Presented by Best Western, will be held as a combined event at the NexSource Centre in Sylvan Lake from January 25th to 31st, 2021.
For Curling Alberta, moving toward a combined event started out as an idea to make the championships a bigger, flashier event – a flagship celebration of curling in the province. But as the concept gained momentum and plans began to take shape over the course of the last curling season, a great deal of our world began to change as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold.
“As it became apparent that business, and competition, as usual would be quite impossible this season, we started to think creatively about how we could still pilot the combined championship in a manner that would be both safe and financially viable,” commented Jill Richard, Executive Director for Curling Alberta. “Bringing the event to a smaller community, especially one with experience hosting successful championships as they did in 2014 for the Alberta Scotties Tournament of Hearts, and a new and spacious facility that lends well to physical distancing, is a logical choice for us. In addition, the curling facility in the NexSource Centre is an arena turned curling club, so our curlers can look forward to top-notch arena ice conditions.”
“Sylvan Lake has a long-standing history of welcoming and celebrating the curling culture, as well as hosting large-scale sporting events like the 2021 Provincial Curling Championships. While events may look different this year – likely without the presence of fans, I know that the curling community and Sylvan Lakers, myself included, will be there in spirit, celebrating,” said Mayor Sean McIntyre, Town of Sylvan Lake
