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By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

hurry to lacombe

Pan Continental Curling Championships coming to Lacombe fall 2024

Jan 31, 2024 | 5:00 PM

Many of the world’s best curlers are coming to Lacombe, Oct. 27 to Nov. 2, 2024.

The city is set to host the 2024 Pan Continental Curling Championships, with it all going down at the Gary Moe Auto Group Sportsplex and the Lacombe Curling Club.

The Gary Moe Auto Group Sportsplex will hold the competitions of the A-Division, while the Lacombe Curling Club will host the B-Division events. The two venues are physically connected with a combined capacity of 2,100, notes World Curling in a media release.

“The great facility complex provides a perfect venue to hold both divisions, as fans and players can walk freely between the two venues without needing to go outside,” says World Curling Head of Competitions Eeva Roethlisberger. “We are very much looking forward to this event and experiencing the hospitality of the local organizers.”

World Curling notes that its member associations voted in September 2021 that two zones — the America’s and Pacific-Asia zone — will merge as one qualifying championship to ensure equal opportunities for all associations. The first edition of the Pan Continental Curling Championships took place in Calgary, while the second was held in Kelowna.

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Winners of the event will qualify for the World Championships in 2025.

As well, Lacombe has a rich curling history, with its first rink built in 1900. The Lacombe Curling Club was then founded in 1920.

The city has also hosted provincial curling championships, and the Americas Challenge in 2021.

Darren Moulding, event chair, a Lacombe resident since 2017, and 2021 Brier champion, believes the city will be a great host.

“I’ve thought our facility, right from the beginning, would be perfect for this,” says Moulding, noting the facility’s good ice and ability to house a TV broadcast. “There’s the size of the city too in that it’s in close proximity to two international airports, also the city is small enough to get behind the event and not have it get lost in the shuffle, but it’s also big enough to have all the amenities we need.”

Around 200 athletes and up to 100 coaches will be in attendance.

Tickets should be going on sale sometime around Feb. 20, Moulding adds, saying to watch the Lacombe Curling Club website for details

To learn more about the Pan Continental Curling Championships, visit worldcurling.org.

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