A total of 13 rinks took up the challenge of this year’s ladies’ bonspiel, held at the Merritt Curling Centre on Jan. 22 and 23. Participants came from as far away as Vernon, Kamloops and Logan Lake.

“It’s more of a social event than competitive,” said Deb Stowell, one of the organizers of this year’s bonspiel. “The focus is on having fun and attracting more people to the sport.”

In keeping with that objective, the 2016 bonspiel had every foursome playing four games, and each game consisting of just four ends. The format proved to be immensely popular last year, and again this year.

One of the quartets taking part consisted of 13-year-old Shaelan Willson, 14-year-old Sydney Willson and 15-year-old Gabrielle Smith, along with their skip, seniors curler Dee Arduini.

The three youngsters in the group are all members of the MCC’s highly-successful  junior program, held Mondays after school. This past weekend was their very first bonspiel together.

“They have a really good attitude, and are very positive and eager to learn,” Arduini said of her charges. “I think they’re doing amazingly well. They certainly keep me on my toes.”

Sydney is doing so well that she is playing in the ladies’ league this season with the Susan Newton rink, and has just started in the Tuesday night mixed league. Shaelan spares in both leagues when she can work around her high school basketball commitments.

The Arduini foursome more than held their own on the weekend, winning once and earning a tie in four outings. In their final game, they even scored a four-ender to come back from a 4-0 deficit. The teen members of the quartet are keen to begin competing in junior and high school competitions next curling season.

At the other end of the spectrum, the average age of the Wincott rink from Logan Lake is at least 70. The lead is 78-year-old Joan Bisson from Merritt who curls in the Highland Valley community along with her husband, Andy.

“I didn’t start curling until I was 65,” Bisson said. “I’ve always been lead, so I get quite a workout, sweeping six rocks each end.”

As is becoming more and more common, Bisson delivers her rocks upright, using a special stick that her husband fashioned for her out of a broom handle and some PVC fittings. She wears non-slip skateboard shoes that she picked up at Wal-Mart.

“The shoes are nice and safe. You’ll never get me wearing a slider. I don’t want to kill myself,” Bisson said with a laugh.

Well done ladies, one and all.

Photos by Darlene Gellrich and Ian Webster