The 89th Kelly Cup men's curling bonspiel will push out of the hack this afternoon at the Prince George Golf and Curling Club.
Today's opening draw is scheduled for 4 p.m. Play will continue through Sunday afternoon, with the Kelly Cup final expected to be on the ice at around 3 p.m.
This year's bonspiel has attracted 34 teams, an increase of two from last year. Included in the field is a rink skipped by defending champion Bill Fisher. Fisher's crew includes third Mike Gallagher, second Rick Fewster and lead Wayne Colliss. Together, the men have 15 Kelly Cup titles to their credit - four for Fisher, four for Gallagher, five for Fewster and two for Colliss.
Out-of-town entries this year include ones from New Westminster (skipped by Randy Alfour), Williams Lake, Quesnel, Fort St. John, Fort St. James and Terrace.
From the field of 34 teams, eight will qualify for the Kelly Cup round, which will start on Saturday at 8 p.m. The qualifiers will be led onto the sheets by a bagpiper, and 92-year-old local curling legend Wilf Peckham will throw a ceremonial first rock.
The Kelly Cup is experiencing a mild revival after being canceled two years ago because of organizational challenges and a lack of interest. In its heyday, the Kelly attracted 100 teams and was considered one of the most prestigious men's bonspiels in Western Canada. By 2000, the number of entries had dropped to 64. A little more than a decade later - in 2012 - just 29 teams signed up to play.
After the cancellation in 2014, the decision was made to hold the annual women's bonspiel in conjunction with the Kelly Cup. The new format was a success and will be used again this year. The first draw in the women's tournament is tentatively scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday.
Twenty teams have registered to compete and the final is slated for Sunday afternoon.
