Over 300 curlers will converge on Wausau this week, competing in the U.S. Senior Men’s Curling Association National Championships. The action begins this Thursday morning (Feb. 19) on all eight sheets of ice at the Wausau Curling Center on Curling Way on the city’s southeast side.
“We are thrilled to have 78 teams signed up and ready to go for gold,” said event chair Randy Brandner. “We will have competition in the masters division for curlers over the age of 68, the super senior division for those over 63, and the senior division for curlers over the age of 55.” The oldest team will be from Medford, with an average age of 84.8. “It’s just great to see so many senior curlers continuing to play the game and compete,” Brandner added.
In addition to the Medford team, 14 other Wisconsin curling clubs will be represented in the tournament, including eight teams from Wausau, the host club. Other Badger state curling clubs include Rice Lake, Marshfield, Eau Claire, Green Bay, Centerville, Poynette, Lodi, Arlington, Madison, Wauwatosa, Kettle Moraine, Janesville, and Monroe.
Beyond the state’s boarders, curlers are coming from as far away as Alaska, North Carolina, California, Colorado, and Arizona.
The first draw will be at 8 a.m., Thursday, on the Wausau ice. Curling will continue throughout the day, with the final draw at 8:15 p.m. The same schedule will apply on Friday and Saturday. The championship games will be held on Sunday at 8:45 and 11:30 a.m.
In addition to the Wausau location, a number of games will be held at the Medford Curling Club on Whelen Street in Medford, and the Sentry Curling Center along I-39 in Plover, with the Stevens Point curling club hosting.
All games are free and open to the public for viewing.
Jim Force