Top flight curling action on display at Doug Bothamley Memorial Open Cash
By The Nelson Daily Sports
In February 2016, the Nelson Curling Club plays host to one of the biggest tournaments of the season when the top male curlers in the province shoot for the Canadian Direct Insurance BC Men’s Curling Championship and a berth in the Tim Horton’s Brier.
As a precursor, Nelson Curling Club entertains some of those vying for the Brier at the Doug Bothamley Memorial Open Cash Spiel beginning Friday in Nelson.
The field includes rinks from around the Kootenay and Okanagan regions.
Headlining the event is Tom Buchy of Kimberley, who qualified for the BC Men’s Finals in 2013 and 2014.
Buchy will be challenged by defending champion, Myron Nichol of Castlegar, who surprised many last year by coming away as the big winner at the $10,000 2014 Nelson Open Cash Spiel.
Also on the draw is Rick Cutler of Nelson, Bill van Yzerloo of Castlegar, as well as former Kootenay zone rep, Jill Winters and local favourite Fred Thomson, who along with Don Freschi of Trail is curling with former Brier rep Bob Ursel of Kelowna.
Chris Ducharme of Creston and Junior Curler Justin Umpherville of Fruitvale are also entered into the three-day cash spiel.
- Action begins Friday with the first draw at 9 p.m. in the three, four team pools. Saturday, round robin draws are at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Playoffs begin Saturday evening with the finals Sunday.
- Nelson plays host to the 2016 Canadian Direct Insurance BC Men’s Curling Championship February 10-14. The event is the biggest curling event in the province and television crews will be in the city for the semi finals and finals, which are broadcast on Sportsnet on February 14.
- The Nelson Cash Spiel was renamed in honour of Doug Bothamley, who spent countless hours in the rinks around the Kootenays promoting the sport, coaching competitive, junior and women’s teams, as well as competing himself. He was also a volunteer with Curl BC, helping to promote the sport province-wide. “There were few curling events where you wouldn’t see Doug, either on the ice competing or in the patch supporting the club socializing, and on the dance floor making short order of his ‘dance card’,” said Nando Salviulo of the Nelson Curling Centre.
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