CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Five P.E.I. curling clubs will participate in the inaugural CanAm Cup of Curling this weekend, an event designed to foster fellowship and tradition between American and Canadian curlers.
This month, the United States team - led by captain Steve McKee - is in the four Atlantic provinces for over two weeks competing for the Lepping-Inch Trophy.
The five-team strong U.S. contingent departed Boston for Halifax on Nov. 8 and since arriving in Atlantic Canada, has played games in Halifax, Truro, New Glasgow and St. John’s prior to the P.E.I. leg of the tour. Action shifts next week to New Brunswick and concludes with additional games in N.S.
The U.S. contingent will compete against local host club teams at each stop. After seven draws to date, Canada leads the U.S.A. in the points standings, 156 to 122.
The ‘Bridge to Prince Edward Island’ section of the international tour launches Friday at 2 p.m. with four games at the Montague Curling Club and resumes Saturday at 9 a.m. in Cornwall. Action shifts Saturday afternoon to the Charlottetown Curling Club at 2 p.m.
Sunday’s final day of action on the Island begins at 9 a.m. in Crapaud and concludes at 2 p.m. at the Silver Fox Curling Club in Summerside. Curlers will be guests at banquets in Montague, Charlottetown and Summerside.
“It’s a great thrill for us to host the U.S. curlers,” said Tyler Harris, president of the Charlottetown Curling Club. “We are really looking forward to this inaugural event.”
All games are eight ends and all scores are accumulated into the grand total to determine the winner of the cup.
Islanders are invited to come out and watch the action at their local rinks.
The idea for the tour began in 2017 at the World Men’s Curling Championships in Las Vegas when Peter Inch of Curling Canada and Rich Lepping, chair of the U.S. Curling Association supported the idea of the Canam Cup of Curling. It will alternate between the two countries every five years.
Also known as the Chairman’s Cup, the trophy was donated by the chairmen of the respective curling associations. The trophy is an antique George V English sterling silver presentation bowl dating from 1919. Valued at $10,000 U.S., it will travel between the two countries and be engraved with the winning team’s name and country.
For the latest information on the CanAm Cup, visit: http://www.canamcurling.com/ or track the latest scores online at: http://bonspieler.com/canamcup/
