Sault to host men's Northern Ontario curling championship

NEWS RELEASE

NORTHERN ONTARIO MEN'S PROVINCIAL CURLING CHAMPIONSHIP

************************* Sault Ste. Marie to host another major curling event

SAULT STE. MARIE - (March 16) - Sault Ste. Marie’s reputation as a host city for major curling events continues to grow.

This city has been chosen to host the 2012 Northern Ontario Men’s Provincial Curling Championship next February, an event that will determine the northern representative at the 2012 Brier, the Canadian Men’s Curling Championship.

The last time the northern championship was held in the Sault was 2004.

The event, running from February 5-12, 2012, will be held at the Soo Curlers Association rink on Anita Boulevard.

Twelve teams from curling rinks across northern Ontario will take part in the eight-day event.

Teams from the Soo Curlers club have won the Northern Ontario championship nine times including the Brad Jacob’s rink which captured the championship in 2010 and 2011 and participated in the just-completed 2011 Brier in London, Ontario.

Other Soo Curler northern championship rinks include Jack MacFarlane (1972, 1983) Al Harnden (1986, 1990, 2007) Mike Coulter (1997) and Eric Harnden (2008).

Al Harnden, who has been curling for 44 years and has participated in six national championships including a third place finish in 1990, will be chairing the 2012 event and will be putting together a team of close to one hundred volunteers to assist in organizing and running the northern championship.

Harnden is well experienced for the job of chair, having competed in the northern championship twenty times.

“We estimate that this major curling event will bring in about $150 thousand dollars in revenue to the city over the week," said Harnden. “The event will also continue to build Sault Ste. Marie’s image as the host of major curling tournaments.”

Sault Ste. Marie hosted the Canadian Men’s Curling Championship, the Brier, back in 1990 but more recently held the 2008 M&M’s Canadian Junior Curling Championship and the 2009 Scotties, the Canadian Women’s Curling Championship.

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