'We are over the moon': Saskatoon curling club hosts World Junior qualifiers
Some of Canada's most talented junior curling teams fought for the opportunity to represent Canada at the 2022 World Junior Curling Championships at the Granite Curling Club in Saskatoon.
The tournament hosted a total of 12 junior men's and women's teams from across the country.
Granite Curling Club general manager Steve Turner says hosting the event has been exciting for everyone. "Right from the moment we were asked, just the anticipation has been building and to get to this day that always seems so far out – but now to wake up this morning knowing that this was championship Saturday, it's all come full circle and we're really thrilled," Turner said.
It's something the club's president, Sheryll Main also agrees with.
"We are over the moon for this, it was so fantastic. The excitement is indescribable really. You see it on TV right, you never think that it's going to be your club and it was our club that was chosen," Main said.
Turner says hundreds of people have come through the club, with events kicking off on Monday, consisting of three draws a day. Having people back in the club is something Turner says he's grateful for.
The Canadian Juniors were cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic, giving curlers more time to practice.
"The idea of having an event with fans and spectators and curlers in a safe environment, that's huge. It just feels so good to be able to do that again," Turner said.
Bill Tschirhart, a national coach for Team Canada says it is great to be about athletes, not only because of their skill level, but what they represent.
"All you have to do is go to a junior U-21 curling event, these athletes are talented, they're polite, they're responsive, and they're dedicated. These are our leaders for the future, not just in sports but in every walk of life," he said.
The Nova Scotia's men's team (Purcell) and Northern Ontario's women's team (Ladouceur) were the winners from the week and will representing Canada at the 2022 World Junior Curling Championships.
The championships are taking place in Sweden from March 5 to 12.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.