ESTEVAN - The Viterra Scotties provincial women’s curling championship and SaskTel Tankard provincial men’s championship are headed to Estevan in 2023.
The two showcases of curling in Saskatchewan will be held at Affinity Place in Estevan. The announcement was made by CurlSask on Wednesday afternoon during a press conference at Affinity Place.
“We are thrilled to award this prestigious championship to Estevan. Hosting this joint event is a wonderful opportunity for the host community to generate economic activity while watching Saskatchewan’s best teams compete for two provincial titles,” said Jim Wilson, president of CurlSask.
“As seen in the past, Estevan has a rich history of hosting curling championships with world-class fans and volunteers, so we have every expectation that the Viterra Scotties and SaskTel Tankard will be exceptional events in 2023.”
The Tankard was last held in Estevan in 2018, while the Scotties previous appearance in the Energy City was in 2001.
The 2023 Viterra Scotties that will take place Jan. 25-29 extends a partnership with Viterra that goes back to 2014, when Tisdale first hosted the event. The winner of the 75th edition of the Scotties will represent Saskatchewan at the 2023 Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Kamloops, B.C., from Feb. 17-26.
“We’re pleased to continue our presenting sponsorship of this event, which is always an excellent showcase for the world class curling talent we have across Saskatchewan,” said Kyle Jeworski, CEO for Viterra North America.
“Through our ongoing support of CurlSask, including its youth programs across the province, we hope to continue growing the sport of curling in Saskatchewan, and ensure that we continue seeing strong competition at tournaments like the Viterra Scotties.”
The 2023 SaskTel Tankard will be contested from Feb. 1-5 and extends a partnership with SaskTel to 19 years as title sponsor of the event. The winner of the 95th edition of the Tankard will represent Saskatchewan at the 2023 Tim Hortons Brier in London, Ont., from Mar. 3-12.
“As a proven outstanding host of premier curling events, we look forward to Estevan welcoming people from all over the province at the SaskTel Tankard,” said Doug Burnett, SaskTel president and CEO. “SaskTel recognizes the value these events offer to our province and that is why we are a proud supporter of CurlSask and the title sponsor of the SaskTel Tankard.”
The city also hosted the 2018 Home Hardware Canada Cup, and has hosted numerous other provincial championships and playdowns.
“The Estevan Curling Club is excited and honored to be host the 2023 Viterra Scotties and SaskTel Tankard Curling Championships,” said Devon Fornwald, Estevan Curling Club president and host committee chair. “We are planning an event that will enable the curlers to showcase their talents and skills and for the fans to have a great event experience. So come south for a winter holiday in 2023 and enjoy some southern hospitality.”
Full event ticket packages are expected to go on sale in the coming months.
Realcast Media, the official webcast partner of CurlSask’s championships, will televise all of the action from Estevan.
The Scotties and the Tankard were supposed to happen in Estevan in 2021, but they were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
