Yukon curlers have been busy this year and this month is no exception. Here's a curling report from Ken Todd, vice-president of the Yukon Curling Club.

Arctic Winter Games (AWG):

• Let’s start with AWG action, as our young men’s and women’s teams have returned from Mat-Su, Alaska this weekend. Team Yukon placed fourth in curling overall. Both teams closed with a 1-3 record in round-robin play, and a 1-1 result in the semi-finals. It was Team Alberta North capturing the gold in the Women’s, followed by Team N.W.T. with silver and Team Alaska with bronze. And in the Men’s, it was Team Alberta North claiming the gold, Alaska with silver and N.W.T. with bronze.

• On a more positive note, Luka Slykhuis and Lucy Epp each came home from Palmer with medals from the Mixed doubles competition, where teams are arbitrarily assigned. Luka and his male teammate from Alberta won silver and Lucy Epp and her female teammate, also from Alberta, won bronze. Congrats as well to Carter Hinds and Hadley Callan who received good sportsmanship awards. Way to go Yukon!

• On a final AWG note, I had the chance to chat with Leander Slykhuis, one of the coaches for Team Yukon, who commented on the positive and supportive atmosphere amongst all the curlers at these Games. So here’s a shout-out to Leander and Lee Malanchuk, coaching the young men’s team, and Patty Wallingham and Troy Searson, coaching the young women’s team, for their leadership and cheer-leading during this year’s AWG - well done!

Yukon Curling Association:

• This week we have the Whitehorse duo of Ruth Siciliano and Tyler Williams playing in Fredericton, N.B. at the National Mixed Doubles Championship, which started yesterday and runs until Friday. This event has 32 teams playing in four pools, at two different venues. Yukon had their first game Sunday, losing 11-3 to Kitz and Stewart from Manitoba. Siciliano/Williams bounced back with an 8-4 win over the Leplante/Gibeau rink on Tuesday. They finished the competition with a 1-6 record. You can catch selected Mixed Doubles games on the Curling Canada website at https://curling.ca

•Let’s put a bow around Yukon’s showing at the Scotties and Brier, in Calgary and Regina respectively. Team Bayly Scoffin closed the Scotties with a 1-7 record, the win coming from a 11-4 victory over Melissa Adam’s New Brunswick rink.

• Bayly’s brother Thomas Scoffin fared a bit better at the Brier, with his team wrapping up pool play with a 2-6 tally. Thomas’ wins were earned against James Grattan’s team from New Brunswick and Trevor Bonot’s from Northern Ontario. Both Yukon teams fought some fierce competition and we congratulate them on their play.

• A couple of territorial playdowns to report on, the first being the Club Championships in Carmacks last month. Team Jon Solberg prevailed over foursomes skipped by Tyler Williams and Dustin Mikkelsen to win the Men’s Club playdowns. That Championship takes place in Barrie, Ont. in November. The Women’s Club team was acclaimed, with Team Shannon Lachance of Carmacks who will represent Yukon.

• The other playdown is the Yukon Mixed, held in Atlin earlier this month. At that event, it was Team Bob Smallwood of the local club vs. Team Tyler Williams from Whitehorse, with Smallwood winning the Yukon title. They are off to St. Catherines, Ont. in November for the Mixed national championship.

Atlin:

Let’s stay in Atlin, where they held their annual Lake Spiel from March 8-10, under clear skies and great temperatures! First place was captured by Broom Goes the Dynamite, who won last year’s event as well. Second and third place finishes went to Teams Smallwood and Hanslit, respectively. Congratulations to Jody Smallwood and crew for putting on a great outdoor ‘spiel!

Dawson City:

Dawson Curling held their 125th Annual Bonspiel at the end of February, and the photos say it all – a great turn-out, some fun mixed curling, prizes and a prime rib banquet to boot. It seems the team with local curling maven Paul Robitaille won the A Pool championship! Congratulations Paul and the Dawson Club for putting on a fine event!

Now about the five-foot Oscar statue that was seemingly abducted from the Mayo Curling Club – they will need it back for the Irene Hutton Memorial Bonspiel from April 5-7!

Whitehorse:

In Whitehorse, preparations are well underway for the 70th International Bonspiel, sponsored by Solvest, from March 29-31. This will be an Open Bonspiel, so teams of any gender combination are welcome, as are all skill levels. The pools will be seeded based on team skill level, to even up the play. There are four games guaranteed, and pool winners will receive cash prizes. There’s live music on Friday and Saturday night courtesy of Yukon Jacks, and a catered dinner on Saturday. Opening ceremonies will be on Friday at 5:30 p.m., with the Commissioner of Yukon, the Honourable Adeline Webber delivering the opening address, mayor and council of the City of Whitehorse have been invited, and we’ll have the Midnight Sun Pipe Band piping on the teams. The First Rock will be thrown by our AWG young men’s and women’s teams, so we’ll be kicking things off right! Bonspiel registration closes at midnight March 24, and the cost is $525 per team. It will be a fun time to wrap the season, and we’re glad to see so many teams from out of town and out of territory!

• I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the Fairbanks Curling Club’s Galactispiel, April 4-7. It’s open format, $400 per team, and you guessed it, it’s scifi space curling, so the costumes will be out of this world. Visit Fairbanks Curling Club online or email register@curlfairbanks.org to sign up for this mission, which marks their 87th International Bonspiel.

As this is likely my last update for the season, I want to pass on my thanks to all the Club volunteers out there, and to the ice makers, especially Don and Darlene in Whitehorse, for keeping it keen all winter long.

– Submitted by Ken Todd, vice-president of the Yukon Curling Club. With files from Curling Canada