World-class curlers continue to ply their trade in Kingston on Monday, the third day of the 2020 Tim Hortons Brier.
With 16 treams in attendance, the Canadian men’s championship is truly national, making the event a tri-coastal one.
“And that’s what differentiates it from many of the curling events out there, is that every province and territory is represented and that’s been kind of the way this event was founded,” said Al Cameron with Curling Canada.
“Back in 1927 you had representatives from every province, you had Northern Ontario sending its own team, and yeah — it’s a coast-to-coast-to-coast championship.”
Every part of the country is represented, from British Columbia to Newfoundland and Labrador and all points in between, with rinks from Canada’s territories — Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut — also competing.
“So we look at it as an opportunity to be in the big show and hopefully try to be competitive while we’re here.”
Team Nunavut plays out of the Iqaluit Curling Club and Kohlenberg says the sport is definitely gaining traction up north.
“Last year I curled in Yellowknife and it’s a fairly popular sport. I also visited Whitehorse this past winter and it’s extremely popular there,” he said.
“I was very impressed with the enthusiasm there. Iqaluit, not so much; it’s a smaller community. Certainly there’s a hardcore group that comes and shows up, but it doesn’t have the popularity as the other centres of the north have.”
Kohlenberg is hoping that with the team’s appearance here in Kingston for the Brier, that will change.