Curling fans in Timmins are in for an exciting weekend.

The Northern Ontario Curling Association Youth Challenge is happening at the McIntyre Curling Club this weekend, starting Friday, Jan. 4 and running until Sunday, Jan. 6.

Curlers from all around Northern Ontario will be participating, making up 42 teams in 3 divisions.

The divisions are separated by age; the first is for the Little Rock Group with curlers aged 10 and under. The second division is called the Developmental Division, for curlers aged 10-18 and it’s geared towards curlers who are new to the sport or who don’t have a lot of experience. The third division is the Competitive Division, for curlers aged 10-18 who have played for a longer amount of time and have plenty of experience to bring to the ice.

The first game starts at 9 AM on Friday, Jan. 4, and finals will be taking place on Sunday, Jan. 6 at 3 PM. A ceremony for the event is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 5 at 2:30 PM.

Kevin Graham, Board Member at the McIntyre Curling Club, says it’s important for kids to participate in winter sports like curling, as it provides more than just physical activity.

“I think that it’s great to see that there’s so many children that are interested in curling,” he said, “because it’s a sport that people can play their entire lives from the time that they’re four up until they’re ninety-four. And it’s a great social sport where you get to meet a lot of people. And you make lots of life-long friends.”

Graham says he also appreciates this opportunity for people to see the future of curling, a sport that doesn’t always get a lot of attention.

“I think it’s a chance for people to come out and see the future of our sport,” he said, “that there’s a lot of young children who’ve put a lot of time and effort into learning the game and becoming better at it.”

Everyone is welcome to come check out some of the best young curlers from around the region, starting this Friday at 9 AM at the McIntyre Curling Club.

Filed under: Local News