MEDIA RELEASE

January 13, 2009

2010 Ontario Men’s Curling Championship Coming to Napanee

(Napanee, Ontario, January 13, 2009)  The Ontario Curling Association and the Napanee and District Curling Club are pleased to announce that Napanee has been awarded the 2010 Ontario Men’s Curling Championship.  The Tankard will take place February 1 to 7, 2010 at the Strathcona Paper Centre.

The Ontario Men’s Curling Championship is considered the premiere curling event in the province.  Ten teams from across Ontario will compete to represent the province at the 2010 Brier to be held in Halifax.  Past winners of the Ontario Championship are Glenn Howard, Wayne Middaugh and Mike Harris.

Doug Bakes, Executive Director of the Ontario Curling Association was pleased to be in Napanee to announce the host community for the 2010 Ontario Men’s Curling Championship.  “The Ontario Curling Association looks forward to Napanee hosting one of its premier events, the Ontario Men's Curling Championship in 2010. The Napanee & District Curling Club has a very active membership that should form the basis of the volunteer committee to ensure the success of the event".

 “We couldn't be more thrilled,” says Mayor Gord Schermerhorn.  “Hosting this Championship will be a wonderful opportunity for Greater Napanee; it will have good economic impact and will leave a mark on our community.  With the success of the Women’s Under 18 Hockey Championship and now this announcement, Napanee is fast becoming a hotbed for large scale sporting events”.
 
The Championship will be hosted by the Napanee and District Curling Club and the Napanee Sports Association in partnership with the Town of Greater Napanee.  “This is an exciting time for our community,” stated Stephen Paul, Napanee Host Committee Chair.  “A strong local curling club, great community support and an outstanding venue were all factors of this event being awarded to Napanee.  Curling fans across Ontario are going to be treated to high calibre curling and a great time in Napanee”.

The 2009 TSC Tankard will be taking place in Woodstock from February 2 – 8.  Team Glenn Howard of Coldwater and District Curling Club will be looking to defend their Ontario title.

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