The annual mixed bonspiel capped off a successful 2014-15 season for the Westlock Curling Club.
The event, which ran from March 20-22, saw 11 teams from across the region compete in three divisions.
Team Remax claimed the ‘A’ event title over Hugh Clark, while the ‘B’ saw Bourke Atkinson’s foursome down Terry Sheehan and his crew.
In the ‘C’ event, veteran Ray Wildfong downed Ray Marquette.
For Paula Clark of the Westlock Curling Club, seeing Wildfong win his event was one of the best parts of the weekend.
“The highlight for me is seeing Ray Wildfong still out there. I think he’s in his eighties and he’s still competing vigorously,” she said. “He’s a really good supporter of the curling club and it was nice to see him win.”
While numbers were lower than in previous years for the mixed spiel, the event was still considered a success.
“The numbers were down from what we usually have fro a bonspiel. We usually have around 16 and we only had 11, which was unfortunate,” Clark said.
“But the rinks that were there had a really good time and it was lots of fun. The competition was good and all the games were good games.”
Last Sunday’s mixed bonspiel marked the end of the season for the club and it is expected the ice will be out in the next few weeks.
The addition of regular participation by curlers from R.F. Staples bodes well for the future of the club.
Under the leadership of Leanne Huppertz, junior high students started curling on Tuesdays after school and they were joined by the high school on Thursdays.
“I was really happy to have the help of Leanne Huppertz as she was able to excite a bunch of new curlers to the school program,” said Clark.
“This bodes well for the club as these young curlers will eventually be the heart of our club.”
It was a busy year in Westlock after issues with the ice plant in Clyde meant that that club also started using the local venue.
Westlock Curling Club’s Thursday recreational league has finished up with Adelle Clark’s rink taking out the ‘A’ grade title and Ray Marquette clinching the ‘B’.
The Tuesday ‘A’ league was won by Hugh Clark, the ‘B’ by Terry Sheehan and ‘C’ went to John Guelly.
Clarke listed January’s Town and Country Bonspiel as a memorable moment from the year.
“We had 28 teams for that,” she said. “That’s an open bonspiel and so there were all kinds of teams from around the area.
“It was just a lot of fun and everybody enjoyed that one.”
The 2015-16 curling season slides back into the house in about eight months with the sheets being frozen in mid-October and competition starting back up in early November.
