In the house: Top curling teams descend on the Sault

With the opening draw set for Thursday morning, excitement is ramping up ahead of the first annual Soo Curlers Fall Classic.

The 21-team, triple knockout tournament kicks off at 9 a.m. and features a number of the world’s top teams in addition to some regional entries.

Among the teams is Manitoba’s Matt Dunstone-skipped rink that features Sault Ste. Marie’s Ryan Harnden, who was among the tournament organizers.

Harnden said he remembers the club hosting World Curling Tour events when he was growing up. To have this tournament in his hometown is exciting for the Sault native.

“We have a lot of really good, strong teams,” Harnden said. “The calibre is going to be great.”

“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a big event in Sault Ste. Marie,” he added. “We’ve had the provincials and a few other smaller events, but to bring the calibre of curling to Sault Ste. Marie, we’re looking forward to it. We’re excited.”

Harnden added that organizers are hopeful to have the annual event early on in the season going forward, which makes travel easier for teams and avoids the potential for problems due to bad weather.

Among the other teams slated to compete in the four-day event are Italy’s Team Retornaz, skipped by Joel Retornaz and winners of the first Grand Slam of Curling event of the season last weekend, as well as Reid Carruthers’ Manitoba-based rink, which includes Sault Ste. Marie’s Brad Jacobs, as well as former Olympic gold medalist John Shuster and his American-based team.

With six sheets being used at the club for the tournament, additional seating along each side of the club will provide fans with an on-ice view of the event as well.

“It’ll be a very unique experience,” said Tom McLean, who is part of the tournament organizing committee. “Outside of the Grand Slams, there’s nowhere else with on-ice seating.”

Both McLean and Harnden spoke of the limited time frame in getting the event set up.

“It’s definitely been a challenge,” McLean said. “We’ve got a great committee and a great group of volunteers that helped us put this all together in a short time.”

“We’re looking forward to what this event will grow to in the future,” McLean added.

Harnden said “a lot of hard work” went into setting up the tournament.

“I always wanted to put an event together. I just never really had the time or got past the thought of having it,” Harnden said, adding that the idea built steam when his team, skipped by Manitoba’s Matt Dunstone, practiced locally.

“They said that we have a great facility and why don’t we have an event here,” Harnden said. “I went to my uncle Al (Harnden) and that’s where things started. We had a conversation and after that we built the committee.”

Harnden said the initial stages of organizing the tournament received immense support from Tourism Sault Ste. Marie in addition to the city itself.

The opening draw of the event begins at 9 a.m. Thursday at YNCU Curling Centre.