East St. Paul to host Manitoba Scotties

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This article was published 06/11/2020 (2122 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Scotties Tournament of Hearts is coming back to East St. Paul.

While the roar of the crowds may be missing from the 2021 tournament owing to COVID-19 restrictions, organizers are excited to see the top curling talent in the province coming together Jan. 20 to 24, 2021 at the East St. Paul Curling Club.

“It’s a very different event that we hope goes forward than the one planned,” Shelley Hart, mayor of East St. Paul, added. “But we’re certainly happy that East St. Paul is excited to host this in our community.”

“Curl Manitoba, and the athletes themselves, felt very strongly that naming a provincial champion is still very important to our sport,” a statement on the East St. Paul Curling Club website dated Nov. 2 read. “Consequently, we at the ESPCC along with Curl Manitoba, made the decision to hold the competition on a smaller scale at our curling rink.”

The announcement that East St. Paul would host the Scotties was meant to take place in the spring, but plans had to be changed significantly for the event to take place. 

“We have to follow all COVID protocols,” organizer Kim Link noted. “We have a committee set up just for that. Making sure we’re doing all the right things.”

Originally, the event was planned to take place in the East St. Paul Arena and draw hundreds of spectators. Plans changed owing to the ongoing pandemic. 

“It’s not going to be the big event it normally is, but we are dedicated to making it a memorable one for the athletes,” Link added. “They train all year every year and this is important to them and we recognize that.”

A two-time provincial senior champion and former Scotties competitor, Link knows personally the importance of the event to athletes.

“I have been at the receiving end of great hospitality from host committees so we are being very mindful of that to strive to make this a great event for all the athletes and a memorable one for the eventual champion,” Link said.

The event will also be broadcast for television.

“In the COVID world we’re in, having televised events like this are something to look forward to,” Hart said, adding that the curling club itself makes for an interesting venue. 

The East St. Paul Curling Club was the host the last time the Manitoba Scotties was hosted in a curling club, and not a larger arena, back in 1999.

“We’re very proud of our curling club and it’s members and the community,” Link said. “We’ve had many people sign up to volunteer already.”

Twelve teams will compete for the provincial championship and the distinction of representing Manitoba at nationals in the spring. Competition for berths will be ongoing across the province leading up to the event.

Sheldon Birnie
Managing editor

Sheldon Birnie is the managing editor of the Free Press Community Review. Email him at sheldon.birnie@freepress.mb.ca or call him at 204-697-7112

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