For generations, the Flin Flon men’s and ladies’ bonspiels have stood as two of the community’s most enduring sports institutions.
The tradition continued last weekend, but with a twist: the 84th annual bonspiels were held simultaneously.
Keenan Kennedy, president of the host Uptown Curling Club, said the goal was to rekindle the spectator-attracting atmosphere of bonspiels passed. It worked.
“It brought back those old feelings again, and everybody loved it,” he said.
“It was a helluva an event.”
Sue Chrisp, a long-time curler, agreed with that sentiment.
“The whole clubroom was full, all six sheets of curling were going and it was just like a capacity weekend, and it was super,” she said.
A total of 28 rinks competed in the three-day bonspiels: 16 on the ladies’ side and 12 on the men’s side.
On the men’s side, the Terry Hornyak rink won over Trevor Watt in the
Main Event. Don Holmes bested Jason Levers to take the Second Event. Brad Hyrich downed Keenan Kennedy in the Third Event.
For the ladies, Kyla Reierson bested Bonnie Wesner in the Main Event. Lori Salahub defeated Terry Kennedy in the Second Event. Amy Savoy bested Dianne Burwash in the Third Event.
Keenan Kennedy said he fully expects the bonspiels to co-exist on the same weekend next year, saying there was not one drawback this year.
The club’s final bonspiel of 2015-16 will be the Mixed Bonspiel, scheduled to begin next Friday, April 1.
