One of the most popular curling events in Canada will have some behind-the-scenes changes beginning with the 2015 event in Ottawa.
The 2015 Travelers Curling Club Championship will take place in Ottawa. (Photo, Travelers/Anil Mungal)
The Travelers Curling Club Championship has been contested annually since 2009 among men’s and women’s teams that have won their respective local club championships, and gone on to win their provincial/territorial championship.
It was operated for the first six years by the title sponsor, Travelers Canada, a leading provider of auto, home, and business insurance, with logistical assistance and sanctioning from Curling Canada. Beginning with the 2015 event (taking place Nov. 22-28 at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club), Curling Canada will assume operations of the event with Travelers Canada remaining as the title sponsor.
Action from the 2014 Travelers Curling Club Championship in Halifax. PEI’s Julie Scales is pictured at the back of the house. (Photo, Travelers/Anil Mungal)
“The Travelers Curling Club Championship is one of the highlighted events on the annual curling calendar, and interest in the championship continues to grow,” said Pat Ray, Curling Canada’s acting Chief Executive Officer. “We’re excited that we can be more involved in helping this event evolve, with strong and ongoing support from our dedicated partners at Travelers Canada.”
As part of the new direction for the event, Curling Canada has hired a Manager, Curling Club Championships to oversee the operations leading up to, and during, the Travelers Curling Club Championship.
Robyn Mattie has taken on those duties, effective Aug. 10. Mattie, originally from Nova Scotia, was a competitive curler, having won silver at the 2003 Canadian Junior Curling Championships and was an alternate for Jill Mouzar’s Canadian silver-medal-winning team at the 2004 World Juniors. She currently lives (and will be based) in Ottawa, where she has been a curling instructor.
”Travelers Canada is pleased to support all levels of curling in Canada but the Travelers Curling Club Championship has a special significance to us and the curling community,” said Shelagh Paul, vice-president, marketing and communications at Travelers Canada. “Its ability to bring together communities and club curlers from every corner of this country to showcase athletic excellence and pride in the sport makes it a truly one-of-a-kind event.”