2020 Scotties Tournament of Hearts

Curing is a seasonal sport that for the most part is played in various “small towns” throughout the Prairies, but lately it’s been catching on in the major cities taking them by storm.

It seems that the only time that anyone hears about the sport of curling, is when there a need to promote an upcoming “Spiel” and/or major championships.

My Father-in-Law is an avid curler and simply put he follows (or did) follow the various “Spiels” when any championship is being played.

He has traveled great distances to take in the action, cheering on his favorite Skip in either Men’s and/or Women’s Championships.

Along with Golf this is his sport of choice and from what I am told is quite good at it, so I’ll take my Wife’s word for it.

Now we are hearing that the 2020 Scotties Tournament of Hearts will be played Feb. 14-23 at Mosaic Place in Moose Jaw, the City that welcomed the event a short three years ago

The City (Moose Jaw) hosted the 2015 Canadian Women’s Curling Championship, drawing an impressive 70,047 fans, which was the 11th-best attended Scotties in the history of the event.

Maureen Miller, Chair of Curling Canada’s Board of Governors mentioned “Curling and Saskatchewan go hand in hand, and we saw first-hand in 2015 how Moose Jaw supports the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, so I know this was an easy decision for Curling Canada’s events team.”

Mosaic Place also hosted the 2012 Canada Cup of Curling that also saw attendance records reach impressive numbers, so realistically 4,500-seat facility is perfectly suited to hosting the crown jewel of Canadian women’s curling.

Mayor Fraser Tolmie mentioned “The City of Moose Jaw is thrilled to host the 2020 Scotties Tournament of Hearts and Moose Jaw has a passion for championship curling. This is the second time we have been chosen to host the Scotties in our world-class facility, Mosaic Place, and we are very excited to extend our hospitality and provide some world-class curling!”

The facility (Mosaic Place) opened August 2011 and features a hockey arena and also has 21 private suites as well as 132 club seats and in the same building is the eight-sheet Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre.

Prior to the 2012 Canada Cup the City (Moose Jaw) played host to several other major curling events, which included the 1983 World Women’s Championship, the 1979 World Junior Men’s Championship and the 1994 Canadian Senior Men’s and Women’s Championships.

Gene Makowsky, Minister of Sport and Minister Responsible for Tourism Saskatchewan mentioned “It will be a privilege for our province to welcome Canada’s top talent in women’s curling, along with fans of the sport. Moose Jaw has a record of success in hosting curling championships and I’m sure will rise to the occasion in 2020.”

The 2020 Scotties will extend the amazing partnership between Kruger Products and Curling Canada to 39 years, dating back to Kruger taking on title sponsorship of the Canadian women’s championship in 1982 — one of the longest-running partnerships in Canadian sports.

The 2015 edition at Moose Jaw featured Manitoba’s Jennifer Jones winning her fifth Scotties title; Jones also prevailed seven years earlier at Regina.

Regina also hosted in 1998 (won by Alberta’s Cathy King) and 1982 (won by Nova Scotia’s Colleen Jones), while B.C.’s Julie Sutton took the 1991 Hearts title in Saskatoon.

Teams wearing Saskatchewan colors have won 11 Canadian Women’s Curling Championships with the most recent being Amber Holland’s 2011 win in Charlottetown and this number increases to 12 when you factor in Sandra Schmirler’s 1994 Hearts victory as Team Canada.

The winner of the 2020 Scotties Tournament of Hearts will represent Canada at the 2020 World Women’s Championship (dates, location TBA).

The 2019 Scotties Tournament of Hearts is scheduled for Feb. 16-24 in Sydney, N.S.