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’Competition at an extremely high level’: Vernon team wins Curl BC event in Salmon Arm

Ashley HomeStore Curling Classic held at Salmon Arm Curling Centre from Nov. 19 to 21
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From left: Jim Cotter, Grant Olsen, Andrew Nerpin and Trevor Miyahara. This curling team from Vernon won the first-ever Ashley HomeStore Curling Classic, which was held at the Salmon Arm Curling Centre from Nov. 19 to 21, 2021. (Doug Murray image)

The final game was decided by the final shot — and a team from Vernon put the hammer to good use.

In the inaugural Ashley HomeStore Curling Classic at the Salmon Arm Curling Centre, “competition was at an extremely high level.”

Curling Centre general manager Bob Genoway said that about the shot-making of top curling teams from around British Columbia, who came to Salmon Arm for the BC Curling Tour event from Nov. 19 to 21.

The winning team from Vernon, led by Jim Cotter, defeated Rob Nobert’s team, which was also from Vernon, in the bonspiel’s final match. Teams were battling it out for BC Curling Tour points, as well as over $13,000 in prize money, said Genoway.

“This was the first year of the event and it was very well received; we had a lot of spectators,” said Genoway. “The ice was really good… the competitive players and the spectators were very pleased. We’re optimistic this is just the start of an event that’ll get bigger and better as we move forward.”

Genoway expressed gratitude to tournament sponsors, adding it wouldn’t have been possible without the Curling Centre’s dedicated volunteers.

“Our club has tremendous volunteers and as usual, they all stepped up and made the event a big success,” he said.

The curling event was brought to Salmon Arm thanks to the Curling Centre’s interest.

“We approached Curl BC and the BC Curling Tour to see if we could have an event… we want to promote our facility and we want to showcase the best there is in the province,” said Genoway. “They approved our request and that’s how we got the event.”

A well-received senior’s division tournament was also held over the weekend, said Genoway, with some excellent curling happening there too.

Winning that division was a team from Salmon Arm led by Bob Genoway. When asked if that was him, Genoway laughed, saying “Yeah… that’s why I didn’t talk about it too much.”

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Do you have something else we should report on? Email: zachary.roman@saobserver.net
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