NORQUAY - The Norquay curling team skipped by Ken Newell and members, Evan Rostoski, third, Jason Lukey, second and Jared Lukey, lead earned the exciting opportunity to travel to Charlottetown, PEI for their shot at the National Fire Fighter Curling championships on March 22 to April 2.
The team advanced after winning the 62nd annual Fire Fighter Provincial Championships on home ice in Norquay on Feb. 4 and 5.
The Newell rink defeated other Fire Departments from Prince Albert, Saskatoon and two teams from Borden to win the championships. There was one other rink from Norquay entered with team members: Kevin Ebert, Robin Holinaty, Jordan Mitchell and Rob Dyck.
The rinks were all escorted into the rink by bagpiper Ferne Katzberg of the Yorkton Pipe Band and welcomed by Canora-Pelly MLA Terry Dennis and Ken Newell, the Deputy Fire Chief for the Norquay Fire Department. All members entered had to be a current or retired member of any fire department.
“It was great weekend of curling and socializing,” stated Newell. “We won three straight games to win the championship. We took on the Tyler Harrison rink from Prince Albert for our first game, then faced the Jason Wainwright rink from Borden and faced the Harrison rink in the finals. It was great to be able to host this caliber of a tournament in our small town and we were encouraged by the numerous fans that came out to watch and support us.”
“We as a team are very excited and a little nervous to curl in the nationals but we are looking forward to the challenge. We will also be doing some fundraising to help with the financial costs and hope the public will support us in this search for gold challenge,” he added.
The Norquay Curing Rink has boosted the sport of curling with encouraging school-aged children to get involved and get out the ice to try the sport, The rink offers a incentive of free curling to children eight years of age and under. “We are hopeful that curling will make a comeback and once again become popular,” concluded Newell.
