The Stonewall Curling Club recently hosted a qualifier for the 2025 Canadian Stick Curling Championships, where a local duo secured their spot in the competition.
From Feb. 21-23, 24 teams of two participated in the Manitoba Stick Curling Association’s Sun Life Open, also known as the provincial championship, competing for the chance to represent Manitoba on the national stage in April.
After three days of competition, Team Nespor/LaCombe and Team Allardyce/Maywood faced off in the final match, with Ralph Nespor and Rob LaCombe from Team Nespor/LaCombe emerging as the champions.
Team Hogg/Green also defeated Team Spiring/Spiring in the bronze medal game.
As a result of their victory, Team Nespor/LaCombe will advance to the 2025 Canadian Stick Curling Championships in Grande Prairie, Alberta, scheduled for April 2-6, 2025.
This season has seen significant growth for stick curling in Manitoba, thanks to the efforts of the Manitoba Stick Curling Association (MSCA) and the Manitoba Stick Curling Tour (MSCT). The MSCT has featured over 130 different teams competing in various tournaments this season.
Stonewall has played a central role, hosting both the Quarry View ESSO Stonewall Open and the MSCA Sun Life Open at the Stonewall Curling Club this year.
“Stick curling is a unique sport in that ‘able- bodied’ players compete equally on the field of play with wheelchair athletes and in our open competitions on male and female athletes also complete equally on the field of play, both are pretty unique in sport,” said MSCA president Resby Coutts.
Coutts added that young people have also joined in on the fun to play alongside grandparents for example.
The MSCT, which features multiple events across Manitoba, has made it easy to involve new teams from around the province. Teams of two, regardless of their stick curling experience, are welcome to compete in tournaments.
“We are not just old curlers who want to keep playing,” said Coutts. “Although that is very important, we also have many stick curlers who are first time curlers and many who curled a little bit years ago but have taken up the game more seriously because of the sticks. It is an easy and safe way to start up in the sport, again especially for an older age group.”
This week, the Manitoba 55+ Games two-person stick championship will take place at the Steinbach Curling Club from March 4-6.
The MSCT will also host the Gimli Open on March 22-23.
