Calgary area Open Spiel draws bigger turnout this year

Sundre’s annual Open Spiel draws bigger turnout this year

Sundre Curling Club’s season windup bonspiel brings out 31 teams – up from last year’s 28 – including players from Calgary and Edmonton

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1 / 1 Sundre-area resident Ayden Shpak, who was playing with a rink with players from Bergen and Sundre that was skipped by Josh Shpak, gets focused on his target trajectory as he prepares to release a rock during games held on Saturday. Simon Ducatel/MVP Staff

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SUNDRE – The local curling club’s annual season wind up bonspiel got started a day early last week after exceeding the number of teams organizers had hoped for.

“We had 31 teams,” Lonnie Halladay, president of the Sundre Curling Club, told the Albertan.

“We had 28 last year, so it was good,” added Halladay.

The club’s season windup Open Spiel was originally scheduled to start on April 3, but games instead ended up getting underway on April 2 with the finals held on April 7.

Halladay was pleased with that turnout and said there were even some players who came out from Calgary and Edmonton.

“We had lots of support from the Cremona club, Eagle Hill, Caroline, Olds; it was well represented,” he added.

And there wasn’t only a good turnout of teams but also a contingent of spectators who just came out to enjoy watching the action.

“Curling was close. They had to draw to the button on two of the four finals, so they were well matched up,” said Halladay.

“If it’s a tie after eight (ends) then we have a draw to the button as the ultimate winner, and they were within inches of each other. So it was pretty exciting for the fans,” he said.

“The lounge was busy all weekend.”

The club’s big banquet was held on April 5 followed by some nighttime draws that eventually resumed the following day, which featured a special visit, he said.

“We had the Alberta Boston Pizza Cup show up on Saturday night,” he said.

“Aaron Sluchinski and Dylan Webster came up to the lounge with the cup … it was pretty cool,” he said, adding Webster, who’s originally from Sundre, got his curling career started through the local junior program.