MOSAIC PLACE TO HOST THE SCOTTIES

Canada’s top female curlers will gather in Moose Jaw, Sask., for the 2015 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, Feb. 14-22, it was announced Wednesday by the Canadian Curling Association (CCA).

It will be the first time the Saskatchewan city has hosted the Canadian women’s curling championship, but certainly not the first time the city has staged a successful curling event at Mosaic Place.

The 2012 Capital One Canada Cup of Curling broke attendance records for the event, and the 4,465-seat facility is ideally suited to hosting the crown jewel of Canadian women’s curling.

“We couldn’t be happier to bring one of our marquee curling events back to Moose Jaw,” said CCA Chief Executive Officer Greg Stremlaw. “The 2012 Canada Cup was a shining example of a city supporting our sport and our curlers. We know the people in Moose Jaw, and all over Saskatchewan, will provide an amazing atmosphere in 2015.”

The 2015 Scotties will be preceded, for the first time, by a pre-qualifying event that will determine the final 12-team field for the Scotties. Fifteen teams (the 14 Member Associations and the defending champion from the 2014 Scotties) will be eligible to compete, meaning Northern Ontario will make its Scotties debut in Moose Jaw. Four teams will compete in the pre-qualifying round just before round-robin play begins to determine the final two entries. The format will be announced at a later date.

Mosaic Place opened in August 2011, featuring a hockey arena that, in addition to its seating bowl, features 21 private suites and 132 club seats. Attached to the same building is the eight-sheet Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre, which will host the popular HeartStop Lounge entertainment area.

“After the success of the 2012 Capital One Canada Cup, we knew we had to bring another major curling event back to Moose Jaw as soon as possible,” said Danielle Sicinski, the chairperson of the 2012 Canada Cup and the co-chair, along with Glenn Hagel, of the 2015 Scotties Host Committee. “The curling fans and volunteers in Moose Jaw are second to none, and curlers and fans will be in for a treat when they get here.”

The 2015 Scotties will mark the 34th consecutive year of title sponsorship for Kruger Products — among longest-running relationships in Canadian sports — of Canada’s biggest women’s curling event.