The Baie d’Urfé Curling Club will host a huge cash tournament from Nov. 28 to Dec. 2 which will feature 32 four-player teams including 12 in the women’s category. The Alexander Keith’s Bonspiel is the third biggest tournament in the province according to club vice-president Frédéric Lawton.
“It’s probably now the third largest tournament in Quebec in terms of cash prizes. It’s pretty popular and the largest one in the greater Montreal area that’s not a provincial,” he said.
It’s the sixth year that the tournament has run in Baie d’Urfé. A grand prize of $1,500 is up for grabs in the open category and $1,000 for the women’s section. About half of the teams competing are from the West Island. Other teams will be coming from Ottawa, Trois-Rivières, Quebec City, and Lac St. Jean.
Lawton who has been playing for 18 years, says curling is getting bigger as a sport in general. He says a new version of the sport will be in demonstration at the 2014 Sotchi Olympics: a mixed two-player team with a man and a woman.
“Curling is really taking off. More and more people are getting interested at all ages. It’s an old belief that it’s just for old people and it’s really not the case. I’m 31 years old and I’ve been playing for 18 years. There something for everyone at all levels and age groups,” he said.
