Canadian University Curling Championships

The Tim Horton's Brier isn't the only national curling championship being contested this week.


Many of the country's best young curlers have made the trip to Waterloo County and the Canadian University Curling Championships which are being held at the Guelph and Elora Curling Clubs from March 12 - 16. Nineteen men's and seventeen women's teams representing a total of twenty-one universities are on hand vying for the title and the chance to represent Canada next February at the Winter Universiade in Harbin, China.


While the Winnipeg rock-toss has names like Howard, Simmons, Martin & Gushue, Guelph will feature two time world junior champ Charlie Thomas, Lethbridge's Brock Virtue, Dominic Daemen from St. F X and Western's Codey Maus in men's play. Reigning Universiade champion Brittany Gregor will lead her powerhouse Calgary team in women's competition, while Memorial's Stephanie Guzzwell, Laurier's Hollie Nicol and Alberta's Kalynn Park will skip teams worth watching.


First draw action gets underway at 4:30 on Wednesday afternoon and continues until Saturday morning at which time three pool winners and the next best five records in both men's and women's competition will advance to the quarter finals. It sounds straight forward and simple but with the talent on hand there could be a whole slew of tie breakers needed to determine the playoff teams.

Due to the open nature of the competition, the affair should be a fine balance of serious no holds barred warfare on the ice and serious, anything goes socializing back at the host hotel. As the week unfolds and the teams are divided into the haves and the have nots, look for the latter group to be exploring all types of various and sundry leisure pursuits in their off hours.

This "Student of the Game" will be on hand throughout the event, to keep you apprised of the happenings both on and off the ice. By Sunday night it'll all be over and we'll know who has been crowned as national university curling champions for 2008. As the Canadian geri-rock group Trooper sings at each and every summer reunion tour stop
"We're here for a good time; not a long time."