The best of the best in women’s curling will be competing in the 15th annual Southwestern Ontario Women’s Charity Cashspiel, Oct. 14-17 in the London Ontario area, with proceeds going to the care and cure of breast cancer. Sixteen teams are signed up, from across Ontario, as well as the Suzanne Birt team from PEI and the Sarah Reid team from Scotland. Birt (then Gaudet) won the event back in 2003, curling with Rebecca Jean MacPhee (now MacDonald), Robyn MacPhee, and Susan McInnis. This year’s Birt squad includes Shelly Bradley at third, Robyn MacPhee at second, and lead Leslie MacDougall. Other entries include 2000, 2004, and 2006 event winner Sherry Middaugh of Brantford, and 2009 winner Cathy Auld, from Mississauga.

Photo: Team Birt at the 2011 Scotties. Source: Team Birt Facebook page

First draw is Friday, Oct. 14 at 9 am, with the finals on Monday the 17th at 1 pm. Total purse is $24,000, with the winner taking home $7000, $5000 going to the runner-up, $3000 going to the semi-finalists, and $2000 going to the quarter-final qualifiers.

In last year’s final, the Shelley Nichols rink from St. John’s NL edged out the Rachel Homan foursome from Ottawa, who won the event in 2007 and 2008, by a 7-6 score. Neither team are back this year. PEI’s Kathy O’Rourke rink were entered last year, losing out to the Nichols team in the quarter-finals.

Event website: sowcc.com. Results will be available at curlingzone.com.