As the 2023 Alberta Senior Men’s and Women’s Curling Championships came to an end in Red Deer the organizing committee is thrilled with the result.
After six days of intense competition at the Pidherney Centre, Team Pahl won the men’s side and Team Ford-Johnston became provincial champions on the women’s side.
Championship coordinator for Curling Alberta Britney Andersen said it was wonderful to work alongside the Red Deer Curling Club hosting committee.
“It was a very warm welcome from everybody involved. We are happy with the results of it to see 33 teams come out was very interesting. They kept us excited right to the end,” she said.
“We had wonderful teams with Team Pahl and Team Ford-Johnston winning. I know we’ll definitely be well represented in Vernon.”
Team Ford-Johnston knocked out the defending champion Team Santos in the women’s final. Meanwhile, Team Pahl defended their crown against the reigning senior world champion Team White.
“None of the competitors laid off for any moment. They all wanted it and it was so interesting to see,” she added.
The ice conditions among other things were well received at the event. Andersen said Wade Thurber who looked after the ice did a fantastic job and kept it in peak condition for what these teams will see at nationals in the fall.
Andersen explained the tournament was also some of the most well-attended finals Curling Alberta has seen this season across the province. Many of them came from central Alberta and Red Deer but also families traveling from across the province to watch relatives compete.
Upon the completion of the tournament, Andersen said they are interested in booking the Pidherney Centre for future curling events.
General manager of the Pidherney Centre Glenn Rubuliak said hosting events like this are a good way to showcase the facility.
He admitted with the upcoming Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling event in 2024 they’ll be busy but hope to host more events in the future.
“We’re in negotiation with the Alberta firefighters championship in 2025 and the Canadian police curling championships has an interest in being here and that’ll be a few years after the firefighters,” he said.
“We’re going to hopefully get a proposal going we’d like to bring a brier to Red Deer. It’s been a while since we’ve had a Canadian Championship and so that’s in the works probably three or four years down the road.”
Overall the senior championship he said ran very smoothly thanks to all of the volunteers who stepped up.
“For myself and the club, it was a great success and of course, our ice is always really good. Wade Thurber and his crew they gave us championship ice and we got nothing but compliments on our arena,” he said.