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Creston Curling Club hosts the 76th annual Men’s Butterfly Bonspiel

By Ross Gowan
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The A Event winners in the 76th annual Butterfly Bonspiel from left to right: Lead Kurt Chenuz, Second Randy Nelson, Third Laddy Pavlis, Skip Josh Firman, and award presenter Greg Terrill of Brewery Workers Local #308. (Submitted)

By Ross Gowan

The Creston Curling Club attracted a field of 44 teams to celebrate the 76th year of the annual Men’s Butterfly Bonspiel.

The bonspiel had to be cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic for the first time in its 75-year history, which started in 1946. The lifting of provincial restrictions on indoor seating capacities, and the allowance for indoor sport tournaments to resume in mid-February, allowed the bonspiel to occur as scheduled for March 3 to March 6. Cash prizes had to be offered this year due to the uncertainty of whether the restrictions would be lifted in time to allow the bonspiel to occur.

A total of 22 teams came from out-of-town locations and they succeeded in taking home most of the cash prizes. Two teams came from the United States, one from Alberta, and the rest travelled from locations in the West and East Kootenays. The 76th Butterfly Bonspiel provided several social activities during the four-day event which included a Friday Pizza Social, sponsored by the Columbia Brewery, an Elimination Draw with cash prizes to participating teams, a Saturday steak barbecue sponsored by Creston’s Save-On-Foods, and a final draw to the button by the top 40 curlers, after an initial draw to the button by all curlers after their first game. The 40 finalists had a chance to win part of a $500 cash prize for the best three Draws to the Button sponsored by the Cavell Street Dental Clinic that was held on Saturday Night. Winners of the Draw to the Button were Glen Kinder 1st from Creston, Robert Korner 2nd, and Bruce Schiewe 3rd who were both on the same team that came from Cranbrook.

The finalists in the six events, including 16 teams, shared in a total purse of $5,100 in cash. Creston’s “Firman Rink” repeated as the top team in the bonspiel again this this year.

The winners of the six sponsored events are as follows:

The A Event was sponsored by the Interior Brewery Workers Union Local 308, with Greg Terrill presenting the trophy to Skip Josh Firman, 3rd Laddie Pavlis, 2nd Randy Nelson, and Lead Kurt Chenuz.

In the B Event, Western Financial Group, the winner was Nelson’s “Beaudry Rink” with Skip Garry Beaudry, 3rd Dustin Ford, 2nd Craig Fines, and Lead Roger Carlson.

In the C Event, sponsored by the Creston & District Credit Union and receiving the trophy from the Board President Jim Ryckman, was Nelson’s “Marsh Rink “, with Skip Barry Marsh, 3rd Sam Boily, 2nd Tim Miller, and Lead Steve Bruder.

In the D Event – Creston Nufloors – the Samuelson’s Randy Samuelson presented the trophy to Grand Forks “Staff Rink”, to Skip Peter Staff, 3rd Lawrence Chambers, 2nd Len Pinskey, and Lead Xavier Nitti.

Winners in the E Event were sponsored by Wild North Brewing Co. with Craig Wood presenting the trophy to Castlegar’s “Nichol Rink” to Skip Myron Nichol, 3rd Steve Cartwright, 2nd Paul Semenoff, and Lead Shawn Biln.

In the F Event, sponsored by JC’s Self Storage, the trophy was presented to Crawford Bay’s “Easton Rink” skipped by Mark Easton as Skip, with 3rd Greg Place, 2nd Wes Brooks, and Lead Steve Latour.



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