With one major international event finished in Chatham-Kent, the municipality quickly has to turn its attention to the next one.
The Princess Auto Elite 10 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling tournament starts on September 26 and the top curlers from around the world will be in town to compete. Curling champion and analyst Kevin Martin, one of the first organizers of the Grand Slam, said the event has expanded from a single event to a series of events.
“It’s become an excellent group of events across Canada,” said Martin. “Everybody from the fans to the curlers to the television audience has a lot of fun with it.”
While some teams have been on the ice already this year, for many it’s the first event of the season.
“It’s unusual to have a Grand Slam be the first thing,” said Brad Gushue, one of Canada’s top curlers.
Gushue said he’s a little bit nervous going into the tournament.
“It’s a big event that’s important to us,” Gushue said. “I’m probably feeling a little underprepared.”
Gushue said he hopes it’s “like riding a bike.”
“Things will come back to us pretty quick,” said Gushue. “We’ve played all these teams so many times. There’s so many good teams.”
Tournament events are slightly different than Olympic curling and take three hours to complete. Both Martin and Gushue agreed winning matches could come down to the last rock thrown.
“Any team is capable of winning,” said Gushue. “You have to be sharp in each and every game.”
The curling games are called draws and they begin Wednesday evening at the Thames campus of St. Clair College. There is one draw time Wednesday night, and four draw times Thursday through Saturday, with up to five sheets (playing surfaces) being used at the same time. Attending just one draw time could have attendees seeing five matches simultaneously. A full schedule of draw times is available online.
“They have a little pub if you want to go down and get up close to the players,” said Gushue. “Or you can sit back and watch from a distance. There’s lots of opportunities for all levels, whether you’re watching for the first time or are an avid curling fan.”
For those who have never seen a curling match before, Gushue says it can be compared to a few different activities.
“It’s a mix of chess on ice, a little bit of tennis back and forth,” said Gushue. He also pointed out that curlers are some of the world’s top athletes, requiring high levels of fitness.
The five-day tournament pass is about $200 and can be purchased online. Tickets are also available for individual draws, ranging from $16 to $30.
On-site parking is limited Wednesday through Friday, but a shuttle service will operate from the former Target parking lot on Grand Avenue West. The shuttle will not operate Saturday and Sunday, as there will be more availability on the St. Clair College campus. Large bags and backpacks will not be permitted into the arena and security checks may be done at any time.
