The ice may be out at the Prince George Golf and Curling Club, but the season isn't over for at least one local team.
Wendee Copeland and her Prince George rink are competing at the 16th annual Pacific International Cup that begins Wednesday at the Richmond Curling Centre.
The PIC is one of the premier curling events in the world for the development of the sport at the grass-roots level.
The bonspiel features club champions from all over B.C., the Yukon, eight from the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, and for the first time, Brazil.
Copeland and her rink, comprised of third Tammy Frederickson, second Joline Palmquist and lead Koby Abdal, qualified for the PIC by winning the north division of the B.C. Club Challenge in March.
At stake for the B.C. men's and women's club champions is a chance to represent the province at the 2015 Travelers Canadian Curling Club championship in Ottawa in November. That event, formerly known as the Dominion, gives club curling teams the chance to play for a national title, while being treated like the rock stars at the Brier, Scotties and Olympics.
Round-robin games begin Wednesday and continue all day Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with playoffs on Sunday morning and afternoon.
The women's draw includes rinks from Brazil, California, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Oregon, Washington, Yukon and eight B.C. teams from six regions.
Blair Hedden and his rink from the Quesnel Curling Club - Tim Richards, Allan Sand and John Ayles - are the men's representative from the north division.
They're up against teams from Arizona, Australia, Colorado, Illinois, California, New Zealand, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, Yukon and six B.C. regions.
