For the first time ever, a team from Nunavut is competing at the Canadian Mixed Curling Championships.
Ed Sattelberger, Denise Hutchings, Dennis Masson and D’Arcy Masson from the Iqaluit Curling Club are representing the territory at the bonspiel in Sudbury, Ont.
National mixed curling championships have been held in Canada since 1964 and Iqaluit even hosted the 2009 competition. But before this year, no team from Nunavut has ever been allowed to take part.
This time, the Canadian Curling Association allowed Nunavut to send a representative to the tournament.
Penny Dominx-Nadeau, vice-president of the Iqaluit Curling Club, says it's gratifying that the Canadian Curling Association has recognized Nunavut's team this year.
"It's great … it took about a year, I guess, of meetings and conversations back and forth between the Nunavut Curling Association and the CCA to get to this point." Team Nunavut's skip Sattelberger agrees.
“It feels great to compete with all the rest of the provinces and territories in Canada,” he said.
The team lost its first five games and is tied for last place in the tournament. But local curlers are inspired to know that a team from their home club is taking on the country’s best.
“It's great for the curling club here in Iqaluit and across Nunavut,” said Dominix-Nadeau.
“We're hoping more teams will go. There's also an active club in Cambridge Bay, Kugluktuk, and Rankin Inlet. So if those clubs can get teams together to compete as well, possibly there will be other clubs participating,” she said.
Dennis Masson say it's fantastic playing on the same team as his daughter, D'Arcy.
"It's fun, I really like playing together," D'Arcy added.
The top 10 teams in Sudbury automatically qualify for next year’s national mixed championships in Montreal.
There are a total of 14 teams competing, including two teams from Ontario.
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