CALGARY TO HOST CURLING BUBBLE

Curling Canada wants Calgary’s Canada Olympic Park to be a curling hub for the season’s top events.

Canada’s governing body of the sport proposes holding the 2021 national men’s, women’s and mixed doubles championships, as well as the men’s world championship over a condensed schedule at WinSport’s Markin MacPhail Centre.

Potential dates will be announced later as Curling Canada works with local, provincial and national health authorities to set up a “bubble” environment.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced domestic and international sport organizations to establish competition “bubbles” to avoid the spread of the virus to the public.

The Markin MacPhail Centre at Canada Olympic Park features four sheets of ice, over a dozen dressing rooms, convention space and a commercial kitchen.

Thunder Bay, Ont., was originally scheduled to host the Tournament of Hearts from Feb. 20 to 28, followed March 6-14 by the Brier in Kelowna, B.C.

The men’s world championship April 3-11 had been awarded to Ottawa.

(Canadian Press)