19 international curling teams are heading to Dumfries to take part in the Lely Curling Champions Tour, a challenger series event of the European Tour.
The tournament takes place at Dumfries Ice Bowl over the weekend of 18 to 20 December and provides an opportunity for the region’s brightest curling stars to pit their wits against some of the finest competitors in the sport.
Among the field will be Sochi Winter Olympics silver medallist Tom Brewster, and Lauren Gray who won Bronze at the same games as a member of Team GB.
Councillor Colin Smyth, the Council’s Events Champion said;
“There is a star studded line up at this truly international tournament at the Ice Bowl, a sports centre that continues to develop its reputation for superb youth development programmes and high profile events. The Lely Curling Champions Tour has proved so popular that more than a dozen countries will be represented in Dumfries, over the weekend before Christmas. The event will be a great showcase for curling and create an economic impact of more than £30,000 from competitors and officials spend on accommodation alone.”
The Council is backing the event with £6000 of funding from its Major Festivals and Events Strategy, 2014-2017. The teams will be playing for impressive prize money totalling £16,000.
John Graham, Chair of the Dumfries Ice Bowl Curling Association is equally enthusiastic about the tournament;
“The Curling Association is really pleased that we are hosting this event again, for the second consecutive year, and there will be a much stronger field competing this year. The competitive quality of the tournament has definitely improved, and provides an arena for some of our best home grown curlers – Heather Morton, Sophie Jackson, Zack Stewart, Fraser Kingan and Grant Hardie, to showcase their skills.
We really do wish to extend an invitation to the public to come along in good numbers, to welcome spectators and get a taste of curling.”
The Lely Curling Champions Tour runs all day Friday and Saturday and the finals will take place on Sunday between 9am and 2pm. Spectators are welcome at any time and admittance is free of charge.
Attached photo shows;
Cllr Smyth, the Council’s Events Champion, Curling Officer Graham Sloan, John Graham of the Ice Bowl Curling Association and Cllr Witts promote the Lely Curling Champions Tour event.
