Canada's best junior curlers set to arrive in the Soo

NEWS RELEASE

CANADIAN JUNIOR CURLING CHAMPIONSHIP

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Canadian Junior Curling Championships hit the ice in Sault Ste. Marie this week

The top young curlers from across Canada begin arriving in Sault Ste. Marie this week, all hoping to win the M & M Meat Shops 2008 Canadian Junior Curling Championship.

“We are ready to rock and roll”, said Andre Litalien who heads up a large local committee of volunteers from the Soo Curlers club on Anita Boulevard and the Tarentorous Sports Club on Avery Road. He said “We have been working very hard for the last year with one objective in mind……..to make this one of the best championships in the history of junior curling in Canada”

The 13 men’s and women’s team begin arriving on Thursday of this week for the eight day national competition. Opening ceremonies will be held Sunday February 3, 2008, at 1:30 pm at the Soo Curlers rink followed by the next draws of the championship. The opening ceremonies will include two very special guests. 93-year-old Jack Watkins of Sudbury who is the world’s oldest active curler will throw the ceremonial first rock Sunday while Mr. Bon Soo will be at the other end of the ice, holding the curling broom. Two well-known young curlers from the Sault, cousins Lindsay and Johnny Miners who have both played on provincial junior championship teams, will be sweeping the ceremonial rock.

The country’s best young curlers will also be participating in the opening ceremonies for the Bon Soo Winter Carnival earlier in the week on Friday February 1, 2008 at Roberta Bondar Pavilion for the fireworks display and at the Steelback Centre for Mr. Bon Soo’s birthday party. Some of the junior curlers will also be in the stands for the OHL All-star game which is also happening this week. The national curling event will culminate with the men’s and women’s championship games on Sunday February 10, 2008. Those championship matches will take place at the Soo Curlers rink on Anita Boulevard and will be aired live on CBC television beginning at 12 noon.

Sault Ste. Marie hosted one of the most successful national men’s curling championships, the Brier, in 1990 and also hosted the Canadian Senior Curling champion in 1998. This will be the first time the Sault has hosted the combined junior men’s and women’s championships.

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