Astec ices toptier curling event

Fast forward to the future when winter sports like curling are in full swing again.

Prepare to cheer on a new curling event called the Astec Safety Challenge, to take place at the Lloydminster Golf and Curling Centre on Jan. 11-14, 2024.

Team Bottcher and Astec Safety have demonstrated a commitment to growing the game in our region, and we are excited to partner with them to host this world-class curling event.

This will be a brand new event on the Players Tour schedule featuring 24 of the best men’s curling teams in the world.

The event is due to a partnership Lloydminster’s Astec Safety has with Alberta curler, Brendan Bottcher, who skipped his team to the semi-finals of the 2023 Brier championship in Ontario in March.

“Thanks to our partnership with Team Bottcher, what was just a briefly-discussed concept last summer, will be an opportunity for many of the teams heading to the Canadian Open Grand Slam in Red Deer to round into top form,” said event chair, Caitlin Mulligan in a news release on April 21.

The Astec Safety Challenge will see the 24 teams compete in a triple knockout format with eight qualifiers vying to win a big chunk of the $100,000 purse.

The event will also include a junior curling development session by Bottcher and his crew of Marc Kennedy, Brett Gallant and Ben Hebert on Jan. 10.

There will also be funfilled entertainment venues in and around Lloydminster throughout the event.

“Team Bottcher and Astec Safety have demonstrated a commitment to growing the game in our region, and we are excited to partner with them to host this world-class curling event at the Lloydminster Curling Club,” said club president Mike Robson.

Information about team registration, the steering committee, sponsorship opportunities, volunteer recruitment, and ticket packages, will be released as details are finalized.