Six teams from PEI are among the 30 rinks, divided into five divisions, participating in the second annual Youth Spiel and Canada Games Mini Development Camp at Curl Moncton, starting on Friday, and wrapping up Sunday afternoon. This event was open to curlers under the age of 18, but is specifically targeted for teams of the required age for the 2019 Canada Winter Games i.e. born on or after July 1, 2000.

The event also includes a developmental component, organized by the New Brunswick Curling Association Canada Games 2019 Selection Committee, with a number of top curling coaches and trainers providing development sessions to the curlers. Each team will play 4 six end games and will have 2 one hour development sessions.

Photo: Team Mitchell Schut at last year’s event

The Island rinks competing are all members of the Wendy’s Under 16 Developmental League, which takes place on selected Saturday mornings at the Cornwall Curling Club, and are skipped by Alexis Burris, Lauren Ferguson, Rachel MacLean, Chase MacMillan, and Mitchell Schut, all from the Cornwall club, along with Katie Shaw from the Charlottetown Curling Complex. Four PEI rinks took part in last year’s event, with the Mitchell Schut and Callie Wood PEI teams winning their divisions.

Curl Moncton is also co-hosting the inaugural Canadian Under 18 Curling Championships in April. The event, which will feature representatives of all 14 of Curling Canada’s Member Associations in both genders (aged 17 and under as of June 30, 2016), will be co-hosted by Curl Moncton and the Superior Propane Centre, and is scheduled for April 18-22.

The 2019 Canada Winter Games will take place from February 15 until March 3, 2019 in Red Deer, Alberta.