Stratford to host 2018 Canadian Senior Curling Championships

Stratford in Ontario has been awarded the hosting rights to the 2018 Canadian Senior Men’s and Women’s Curling Championships.

According to Inside The Games, which originally published this news, the following information is available:

The event, sponsored by Everest Funeral Concierge, is for curlers aged 50-plus and is scheduled to take place from March 24 to 29. It is due to be held at the Stratford Rotary Complex, a facility featuring two ice surfaces - the RBC Arena and the Molson Arena.

The Complex played host to last year’s Canadian Junior Men’s and Women’s Championships.

"I had the pleasure of attending the 2016 Canadian Juniors, and I saw up close what a wonderful facility they have in Stratford," Peter Inch, the chair of Curling Canada’s Board of Governors, said. "I also saw an eager, committed and enthusiastic Host Committee that put in hours of hard work behind the scenes, and I have no doubt the same thing will happen in 2018. Working with our partners at Everest, I know that the curlers, officials and fans are in for a memorable show next March."

David St Louis, chair of the Stratford Host Committee, added: "We’re already working hard to make sure the 2018 Everest Canadian Seniors will be a memorable event, both on and off the ice.

"We’re grateful that Curling Canada and Everest gave us this vote of confidence, and we’ll make sure that confidence was well-placed."

The winners of next year’s event will represent Canada at the 2019 World Senior Men’s and Women’s Curling Championships, for which a date and location has yet to be determined.

It will be the fourth Canadian Senior Championships with title sponsorship from Everest, the first nationwide funeral planning and concierge service. Curling is a part of the fabric of this country and Stratford curling fans are passionate supporters of their community," Mark Duffey, President and chief executive of Everest Funeral Concierge, said. "We look forward to seeing them participating in all aspects of what is always an entertaining event. Food, festivals, Shakespeare and swans…now Stratford can add the country’s best senior curling to the list of things this beautiful town is known for."

The Ontario Curling Association has hosted the Canadian Senior Championships on four previous occasions since the men’s and women’s events were combined in 1985. It did so in 1988, 1997, 2002 and 2010. Prior to 1985, the Canadian Senior Men’s Championships were hosted in Ontario four times, in 1969, 1976, 1978 and 1983. There were also two editions of the Canadian Senior Women’s Championships staged in Ontario, in 1973 and 1983.

"Having seen what the Stratford Host Committee has done in the past, I know that the visiting athletes and their fans are going to be welcomed with open arms," Ontario Curling Association executive director Stephen Chenier said. "We’re pleased to have these Championships played in Ontario again."

The Canadian Senior Men’s Championships began in 1965, while the Canadian Senior Women’s Championships were first staged in 1973.

The original article can be found here.