The Manitoba Open bonspiel kicked off Thursday with opening ceremonies at the Charleswood Curling Club.

Over a thousand curlers, 192 teams in the Open and 64 teams in the weekend half ‘spiel, will populate the Winnipeg curling clubs for the next four days.

The bonspiel continues to attract curlers young and not so young; rural and city teams; men and women; high skill players and some maybe not so much. In what is still the world’s largest bonspiel, all 192 teams were equal at the first rock, equal in their love of the game and all with a chance to win the bonspiel championship.

That equal chance will change rapidly in the first two days as teams drop to the lower level events – leaving the more skilled teams to compete for the bonspiel championship and for eligible teams, a chance to win one of three available Viterra Championship berths.

The ceremonial opening rock was handled by junior Jaelyn Perche and dedicated Charleswood club volunteer Jane Howe (as the sweepers), club past-president Ron Margolis (holding the broom), and 86 year old Art Oakes, the oldest active curler at Charleswood (throwing). The ceremonial rock came up a little short of the rings but found an even better stopping point in a Charleswood club logo just in front of the rings.