To some, the Saskatchewan Curling Association's SaskPower Women's Northern Playdown is nothing new, while others are new to the scene. One thing all curlers will have in common this weekend is that it will be their first playdown at the Northland Power Curling Centre.
After opening the curling centre's doors for its first season, the first major curling event started Thursday and will conclude Sunday evening.
Organizing committee chair Colleen Voinorosky anticipates some elite level curling in the Battlefords not only because of the teams entered, but because of the quality of the facility and the ice made by Wayne Cubbon.
The curlers, especially the local curlers, are excited to show off what the new facility has to offer.
"I am excited because I have been a part of the organizing with the new building," says Christy Walker a Twin Rivers Curling Club board member and second for Tina Hill's team this weekend. "We are excited to showcase what we have to offer here in the Battlefords. It is probably one of the best ice surfaces in Saskatchewan. Our icemaker does a fantastic job of the ice he provides to us. It is second to none ice."
Walker is one of two curlers on the Hill rink from the Twin Rivers Curling Club, the other being lead Nicole Beausoleil. Tina Hill and Rebecca Venn had lived in the Battlefords before and have recently moved away due to family commitments, but the team has still been able to play together at some of the women's tour events this season.
This will be the fourth northern playdown for the Hill team, and Walker explains they have come close, but have yet to advance to provincials after losing A, B and C event finals in previous years.
"Your expectation is to always come out and win and make it to provincials, but our main goal is that we want to make sure we go out there and we curl to the best that we can possibly curl and have the best game that we can play," said Walker of the team's expectations.
The other Twin Rivers Curling Club team is new to the scene, as Alana Love, Kristi Frolek, Janelle Eberle and Erin Rogers will play in their first northern playdown together. Love and Frolek have curled in northern playdowns before, Rogers has curled for about two years and Eberle is the youngest member of the new team.
Maidstone will be represented by Jill Shumay, Kara Johnston, Taryn Holtby and Jinaya Ayrey. Curling out of the Unity Curling Club will be the familiar face of Darlene Gillies with Linda Kloschinsky, Wanda Heitt and Tracy Heidt.
The other teams competing in the open event include Brett Barber from Biggar, Heather Burnett of Martensville and Debbie Folk, Sherry Just, Trish Paulsen, Nancy Martin, Rachel Pritzler, Ros Stewart, Brenda Goertzen and Amanda Labach all of Saskatoon.
Four teams will advance from northerns to provincials.
There are 10 draws scheduled for the playdowns with the first one scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Friday, the teams will hit the ice at 10 a.m., 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday times are 9 a.m., 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, teams hit the ice at 10 a.m., 2 and 6 p.m.
The opening ceremonies will take place at 1 p.m. Friday.
The organizing committee invites all curling fans to check out the new facility and some of the best curling this province has to offer.
