By Don Urquhart, Times Chronicle
The 2025 AMJ BC Mixed Curling Championships kicked off on Thursday Mar. 27 with Oliver hosting the event from March 27-30 at the Eastlink Curling Centre.
Twelve teams – including two from Oliver and one from Osoyoos – are competing to claim the provincial title and move on to the national championships in Assiniboia, Saskatchewan, in November.
The 12 teams of four members, each led by Oliver Curling Club Juniors, were bagpiped onto the ice before being welcomed to Oliver by master of ceremonies John Surovy of the Oliver Curling Club.
Curlers being piped on to the ice on Thurs. Mar. 27.
Don Urquhart photo
“We are thrilled to have you all here at the Oliver Curling Club, and look forward to an outstanding competition. A total of 12 teams have entered this prestigious provincial championship,” he said.
Surovy thanked the volunteers who spent “countless hours” in the months leading up to the event and over the course of the event to make it a success along with the support of sponsors.
Also welcoming the largely out of town curlers to Oliver, Martin Johansen, Mayor of Oliver said, “You’re going to have a great week, building friendships, creating memories and enjoying some really, really good competition as you try for a spot in the national curling championships.”
“I hope you get a bit of time between draws to get out and see what makes South Okanagan, Oliver, and Osoyoos such a great place to live,” before urging the curlers to enjoy some local wine.
Brenda McClellen (centre), Curl BC Board of Govenors thanks the Oliver Curling Club and volunteers for their hard work in putting the event together. John Surovy of the Oliver Curling Club (left) and Pat Hampson flag bearer from the Oliver Legion (right)
Don Urquhart photo.
Surovy also paid tribute to the club’s oldest member, 93 year old Murray Soder who was made an Honorary Lifetime Member of the Oliver Curling Club in 1999 after a long and deep involvement in curling in the province.
Soder was on the executive of the former BC Interior Curling Association from 1990-92 until it amalgamated with the Pacific Coast Curling Association and BC Ladies Curling Association in 1992 to become what is now known as Curling BC. Soder went on to become the first president of this new organization between 1992-94.
As part of the opening ceremonies on Thursday Soder threw the first rock of the event.
Dan Holt (left), bagpiper with Grayson Schanuel, drummer from the Osoyoos Indian Band.
Don Urquhart photo
The curlers were ultimately “drummed off” the ice by Grayson Schanuel from the Osoyoos Indian Band.
The Oliver curlers consist of “Team Dodge” (skip Dale Dodge, third Marilyn Reimer, second Bob Shanks, and lead Giselle Cleave) and “Team Carriere” (skip Marc Carriere, third Jennifer Seminoff, second Grant Innes, and third Sarah Wilkie).
The Osoyoos curlers consist of “Team Greenlaw” (skip Kip Greenlaw, third Cindy Curtain, second Nick Warner, and lead Michelle Brunschwiler). A further Okanagan team made up of Kelowna, Penticton and Osoyoos curlers are competing as “Team Cseke”.
Draws take place throughout the day on Thursday – Saturday with semi-finals on Sunday morning and the final on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m.
