The Martlet

Assisted by walkers and canes, curling fans from Victoria and across the country flooded the Save On Foods Memorial Centre from Feb. 21 to March 1, barely staying seated at the tense excitement of the 2009 Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

This year Victoria had the honour of hosting the Scotties, the nine-day Canadian Women’s Curling Championship tournament, which saw Jennifer Jones’ Team Canada rink defeat B.C.’s Marla Mallett to repeat as Canadian Champions.

“The drama has been phenomenal this week,” said Mark Stefanson, director of media relations for the Scotties. “Most people were surprised B.C. did so well and Team Canada struggled during the week.”

While Team Canada was a favourite entering the tournament, B.C.’s hometown success was a pleasant surprise.

The Mallett rink advanced with a bye to the final, but Jones’ Team Canada strung together four wins facing elimination before defeating B.C. 8-5 in the final draw Sunday evening, March 1.

In the seventh end, Jones took control of the match after a missed shot by Mallett, the turning point that led to a Team Canada victory. While the hometown fans saw their team fall short, the tournament could be nothing short of a success for organizers, volunteers and fans.

But for fans who didn’t grow up breathing in the icy air of the small town curling rink, the tournament was still packed with entertainment and easy enough to grasp — especially when you consider curling is shuffleboard on ice.

There are two teams of four, each player throwing two rocks each, in which precision and strategy leave the team with the rock closest to the button (centre of rings at the other end of the ice) with a point or more each end.

Ten ends in this kind of tournament can last two to three hours. The favourite part of watching curling for most is the players’ frantic screaming. The skip screams at her two sweepers to sweep “harder!” or “woooah!” to stop.

Blair Finnie, a spectator at Saturday’s semi-final match, not only enjoyed the shouting of the “graceful young women dancing on the ice,” but also enjoyed determining what the Scotties Mascot resembled.

“A confusing-looking character,” said Finnie. “He could be a cotton ball, a rain drop or a used and disfigured roll of toilet paper.”

Finnie added that watching the tournament was a great way to relax and have some fun.

“I think if I needed to save money on stress reduction programs I would come to curling matches all the time,” said Finnie, who was on the younger side of the demographic watching Saturday’s semi-final.

The quiet murmur of the crowd was only broken when there was a communal gasp at a close shot, followed by gracious applause or a deadly hush, depending on the result of the shot.

Does curling have a place in Victoria, or even for those who aren’t in retirement?

“There is no question curling is a huge sport in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba,” said Stefanson, who grew up in Manitoba.

The prairies are no longer dotted with landmark grain elevators, but local curling barns still spin with excitement during the eternal winter. Here in Victoria, however, the “big curling fraternity” seems to be mostly active retirees.

“It’s a non-contact sport, except for your broom hitting the ice,” said Scotties volunteer Bob Ainscough, noting why curling is a fun sport accessible to all ages.

At the Esquimalt Curling Club, where Ainscough Curls, there are curlers up to 97 years old.

But while accessibility may be what makes curling part of Canadian culture, it’s also about community, the beer or two after the game and relaxing. But the sport can also be competitive.

It’s an Olympic Sport Canada excels in. This December, Edmonton will host “The Roar of the Rings,” the 2009 Canadian Curling Trials which will determine Canada’s team for the 2010 Olympics — which is what the Jones rink will set their sights on while enjoying their Canadian Champion status.

UVic also has a curling club that plays once a week and welcomes both recreational and competitive players. Information can be found by e-mailing curling@uvic.ca.

Settling for curling highlights on TV won’t get you into this game, but strapping on a slider, grabbing a broom and playing with a 97-year-old friend sure will.