Three Canadian champion teams and two other individuals who have won the Canadian title are included in the field of 24 teams from across Manitoba who will compete for the Manitoba Stick Curling Association’s Open Championship this weekend in Morris.

In addition, seven women’s teams including the 2020 Manitoba champions will compete for the MSCA’s Women’s Championship.

Competition in the round-robin plus playoffs formatted event will begin at 9AM Friday with round-robin play winding up on Saturday evening. Playoffs go Sunday with the two provincial finals set for 2PM.

Highlighting the MSCA Open are Norm Magnusson & Resby Coutts-Fort Rouge (2022 Canadian champions), Tom & Rae Campbell-Killarney (2018 Canadian champions) and Jim Rouse & Ross MacMillan-Warren/Marquette (2015 Canadian champions) along with Canadian champions Warren Johnson-St. Vital (who won in 2012) and Charlie McCullough-Carman (who won in 2010).

Past Manitoba champions in the field include Ken & Shirley Strand-St. Vital (2018 Manitoba champions). Those who have won with different partners include two-time Manitoba champion Warren Johnson-St. Vital (2012 & 2017), and Manitoba champions Jim Webster-Stonewall (2020), Ron Shafirka-St. Vital (2022), and Ross MacMillan-Marquette (2015).

Gwen Smith and Lynne Rehbein-St. Vital were the MSCA Women’s champions in 2020, the last time a Women’s championship was held.

The Open AND Women’s champions earn a berth, and the opportunity to wear CurlManitoba’s provincial champions jackets, in the Canadian Open and Women’s Championships respectively. The event will be played in Nanaimo, BC in late-March. Seven of the teams competing in Morris this weekend have already indicated intention to compete in the Canadian championship bonspiel. These include Melanie Shura & Darlene Maywood-St. Vital in the Women’s. In the Open event Strand & Strand, Campbell & Campbell, Magnusson & Coutts, Grant Nicolson & Don Fischer-St. Vital, Dan McDonald & Warren Johnson-St Vital, and Britta & Fred Spiring-St. Vital will all be making the trip to Nanaimo