CurlSask Cancels Provincial Championship Play

In a move which may be ominous to other sports that rely upon larger number of spectators CurlSask has cancelled both the provincial wonen\s Scotties and men’s Tankard curling championships in Estevan due to the continued COVID - 19 pandemic.

To have been held in Estevan January 29 to February 7, 2021 the events were cancelled by CurlSask due to pandemic related concerns without a public health order from the Province cancelling the event.

“Under current public health orders this championship was no longer feasible nor financially responsible to attempt to host,” Ashley Howard CurlSask Executive Director said in a Wednesday afternoon statement.

Howard continued “Estevan has served as a first-class host community for a number of events including the 2018 SaskTel Tankard and 2018 Home Hardware Canada Cup of Curling. Given the success of past Championships hosted by the community of Estevan, our team will not hesitate to return to Estevan when it is safe and responsible to do so.”

At the present time any type of curling for those 18 years of age or older is shut down under a Provincial Health Order that is designed to slow the exponential spread of the COVID - 19 pandemic. Curlers under the age of 18 are allowed to practice although no games are to take place.

In Moose Jaw it has lead to the temporary shuttering of the Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre at least until December 17th if the Province decides to re-open curling after a review of the efficacy of the measures to stop the increase of pandemic numbers.

CurlSask will however select provincial male and female representatives to the national Tankard and Scotties events based upon one of four scenarios with the details to be released at a later date.

Estevan will have first right of refusal for next year’s championships.