There was some anxiety with organizers and participants of the 2021 Canadian Senior Curling Championships due to added restrictions in host city Sault Ste. Marie, but the annual competition kicked off this week for the first time since 2019.
Last year’s competition, scheduled to be held in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba was among a number of high-profile curling events cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19.
Based in Thunder Bay, Team Northern Ontario qualified for the national tournament by winning the provincials in February of 2020, just before COVID shut down the sport for months, said team coach Harvey Lowen.
“We had our send-off and two days before we were about to leave we found out it was cancelled,” said Lowen of the disappointment news about the 2020 tournament. “We thought with all the hard work we weren’t going to be able to go and then we heard maybe six months ago they had planned this again and that we were going to be eligible to represent Northern Ontario.”
Northern Ontario was one of the 10 provinces, territories or regions that was allowed to apply its 2020 qualifying to this year’s tournament, being held this week at the Community First Curling Centre. Four others had to start from scratch and play down to qualify for this year’s championship.
“We felt bad because our lead had never been to a nationals and he finally earned it and then there was a question of whether he could go. He’s here now and I am happy for him, in particular,” said Lowen.
Event organizer Al Harnden said it was up to the individual provincial and territory curling bodies to decide which teams could use their 2020 qualifying and which would have to start from scratch.
Aside from the challenges of public health restrictions, Harnden said late luggage due to winter weather was also an early threat to the championships.
“We had numerous teams that didn’t get their broom bags in time, so we had to find and beg, borrow and steal whatever we could around here so we could get started,” said Harnden. “We had to do some problem solving early in the week, but we found ways to get it done and I haven’t heard any concerns from the players since, they’re just thankful to be here playing.”
Harnden said the event is full of world-class curlers vying for this year’s men’s and women’s titles.
“The last six men’s champions are in this field and the women’s field is stacked. There is some great curling out there and some close nail-biter games that are always fun to watch,” he said.
Cheryl Tordoff plays the third for Team Northwest Territories. Her team qualified for the 2020 championship, but had to prove themselves once again in 2021 to attend the championship in Sault Ste. Marie.
Her teams had one of the longest trips to make it to Sault Ste. Marie, with three flights taking up almost a full day of travelling.
“We are ecstatic we were able to come,” she said.
Tordoff said she was worried about a repeat of last year’s cancellation when she heard about the rising case counts in Sault Ste. Marie and the restrictions put in place by Algoma Public Health.
“We were absolutely worried this was going to get cancelled and we were watching the news very closely every day and we just left it in the capable hands of the organizing committee and Sault Ste. Marie public health,” said Tordoff.
Harnden said organizers had to make a series of ‘pivot plans’ once it was clear restrictions were being put into place.
“You name it, we thought about it and put the plan in,” he said.
Although the championship is moving ahead this week, a number of social events that were planned alongside it had to be cancelled.
“We are thankful to at least be able to have the event. We are disappointed about the social parts, but we are making the best of what we have and we are pleased with that,” said Harnden.
Public health restrictions are limiting the venue to 50 per cent capacity for spectators. Harnden said there are still many tickets available at the doors for most draws, but he expects them to be sold out as the semi-finals and finals approach on Friday and Saturday.
“The buzz has been so positive throughout the week. You can tell the players are pleased with the facility and the opportunity to play and our volunteers have rolled up their sleeves and are doing a good job. The fans that we do have are enjoying some world class curling,” said Harnden.