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January 06, 2022 - 2:01 PM
The Canadian women’s curling championship is heading to Kamloops next year.
The 2023 Scotties Tournament of Hearts Canadian women’s curling championship will be played Feb. 17 to 26 at the Sandman Centre, according to an announcement made today, Jan. 6, by Curling Canada.
“Hosting the Scotties Tournament of Hearts is a huge opportunity for a host city to promote itself and generate economic activity for local business, and it’s why it’s such a competitive process for bidding cities,” said Katherine Henderson, chief executive officer of Curling Canada, in a press release.
“Kamloops came in with a bid that was superb in every way; the Tournament Capital of Canada knows how to host major events, as we’ve seen in the past, and I know it’s going to be an amazing Scotties in 2023.”
The championship will be the 42nd edition of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. While it will be the first time the Scotties has been played in Kamloops, it won’t be the first major curling event in the city.
Kamloops hosted the 2014 Tim Hortons Brier, won by Alberta’s Team Kevin Koe. It also hosted the Tim Hortons Brier in 1996, with Manitoba’s Jeff Stoughton coming out on top, according to Curling Canada.
Kamloops also hosted the World Men’s and Women’s Curling Championships in 1998, with Canada’s Team Wayne Middaugh claiming the men’s gold medal and Sweden’s Team Elisabet Gustaffson taking the women’s gold.
“Kamloops has had a rich tradition with curling events, and we know that this one will be no exception,” said Mayor Ken Christian of the City of Kamloops, in the release. “We are beyond thrilled with the opportunity to again showcase our City and to have been selected to host this prestigious championship.”
Upon hosting the 2023 Scotties, Kamloops will be the fifth city that has hosted all four major Season of Champions events — the Tim Hortons Brier, the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, the World Men’s Championship and the World Women’s Championship. The others are Winnipeg, Brandon, Man., Saint John, N.B., and Lethbridge, Alta.
It will be the ninth time the Canadian women’s curling championship has been played in B.C. The most recent edition was the 2018 Scotties in Penticton, where Manitoba’s Team Jennifer Jones prevailed.
The 2023 Scotties Tournament of Hearts will represent Canada at the 2023 World Women’s Curling Championship and the winning team will also play at the 2024 Scotties Tournament of Hearts as Team Canada.
The first entry into the 2023 Scotties will be decided Feb. 6 in Thunder Bay, Ont., as the 2022 Scotties Tournament of Hearts winner is decided that day, and will play as Team Canada in Kamloops.
Full event ticket packages are expected to go on sale in the coming weeks. Customers can sign up for Curling Canada’s e-newsletter to receive presale information.
Volunteer opportunities also will be available later this year. Go online to sign up to receive updates on volunteering for the 2023 Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
TSN/RDS2, the official broadcast partner of Curling Canada’s Season of Champions, will televise all of the Kamloops action.
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