TOURNAMENT TOWN
• Swimming at the TCC
Some of Canada’s best swimmers will be in the Canada Games Aquatic Centre’s water for the Speedo Western Canadian Championships, which began on Thursday, Feb. 17, and wrap up on Sunday, Feb. 20.
Nine members of the host Kamloops Classics Swim Club — Taylor Dalke, Greg Petersen, Jared Calder, Dylan Srepel, Dylana Milobar, Shaina Kloska, Heather Waterous, Tatiana Gilbert and Gia Bagetti — qualified for the meet.
“They understand the stature and where this ranks in the whole scheme of things, in terms of their performances and national talent identification,” Classics head coach Brad Dalke said of his club’s swimmers.
The River City will welcome 446 athletes from 62 clubs in an event that will feature top-level talent.
Only twice in the club’s history — the Canada Summer Games in 1993 and the Western Championships in 1997 — has the River City played host to swimmers of this calibre.
This weekend’s (Feb. 18 to Feb. 20) heats run from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
The finals take place each night from 6 p.m. to 8:45 p.m., except for Sunday, when they get underway at 5 p.m. and run through 8:15 p.m.
• Curling at the KCC
They might be a little older, but the curlers at the men’s and women’s Tim Hortons BC Curling Championships can still throw rocks with the best of them.
The Kamloops Curling Club (KCC) is hosting the provincials, which run Monday, Feb. 21, to Saturday, Feb. 26.
“I think people will be incredibly surprised if they take the time to come and watch because you’ll see some great, great curling,” said tournament co-chairperson Ken Lawrence.
Curling on the men’s side: Rob Ferguson, Trail; Gary Gelowitz, Kelowna; Sandy Greig, Richmond; Wayne Harris, Comox; Greg McAulay, Richmond; Myron Nichol, Castlegar; John Shephard, Williams Lake and Dean Thulin, Campbell River.
On the women’s side: Wendy Cseke, Salmon Arm; Deb deTremaudan, Trail; Lori Freeman, Quesnel; Sherry Heath, Vernon; Christine Jurgenson, Kerry Park; Karen Miller, Vancouver; Lynne Noble, Qualicum and Kathy Smiley, Royal City.
Draw times Monday through Thursday are scheduled for 12 p.m. and 7 p.m. On Friday, there will be three draw times — 9 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Saturday’s finals get underway at 2 p.m.
• Skiing at Stake Lake
The Overlander Ski Club (OSC) is set to host the cross-country skiing B.C. Championships at Stake Lake this weekend.
About 300 skiiers from clubs across the province, including teams from Smithers, North Vancouver, Kelowna and the Kootenays, will race at the championships, which also serve as the last event of Cross Country B.C.’s Provincial Cup series.
“This is a good opportunity to showcase our local athletes as they have had an excellent season both provincially and in Western Canada,” OSC member Dwayne Geiger said.
OSC race team manager Kathleen Vermey said it’s a pleasure to host the provincial championships at Stake Lake, where some of the most trying trails in B.C. are found.
“Our trails have been considered some of the most challenging race-course trails,” said Vermey, noting the majority of the participating OSC members are children.
“Definitely being on home turf is good for our kids, but it can put a little pressure on them, too, because they want to do well for everybody here.”
On Saturday, Feb. 19, the action gets underway at 11 a.m., while Sunday’s (Feb. 20) races start at 10 a.m.
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