The Innisfail Curling Club will have a chance to win $5,000 this coming February. The club was one of three selected in Central Alberta to participate in the Cool Shot Tournament, a tabletop version of curling, similar to shuffleboard.
“Innisfail was suggested as a great host for this program from the Alberta Curling Federation,” explained Trina Joly, events manager with the Canadian Curling Association. Red Deer was also selected to host the competition. Joly said a third community has not yet been confirmed.
Hanno Buyks, Innisfail club president, said he hopes the event will raise the club’s profile.
“I’m thrilled — this is great for the winners, great as a fundraiser for our club. Hopefully it will help raise club awareness.”
The game is a tabletop version of curling, with the board looking like the sheet of ice. The game is similar to shuffleboard but the rocks are designed to curl.
“It’ll give non-members a chance to come out and give it a try,” said Buyks, who hopes it might entice people to join the club.
There will be cash prizes awarded during the competition and the winners will receive tickets to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, the Canadian woman’s curling championships held this February in Red Deer.
The winners in Innisfail will head to Red Deer and play the top winners from the other two communities during the tournament of hearts. The winner there wins $5,000 towards the club.
Buyks said there aren’t any major renovations needed for 2012 but said the money always helps with utility bills and general upkeep. The club just replaced its ice compressor a year and a half ago, and this fall they installed a handicapped accessible ramp into the building.
“All the big projects are done for now.”
The cool shots competition will take place at the Innisfail Curling Club Jan. 23-25. The boards will be available at the curling club during the farmer’s bonspiel Jan. 15-21 for people to try out and practise.
Anyone interested in joining the competition is asked to email [email protected].
