A big event originally scheduled to take place more than two years ago is currently underway in Morris.
The Morris Curling Club and Cargill Curling Training Centre (CCTC) are hosting Curling Canada.
Lorne Hamblin is President of the Morris Curling Club and is also heavily involved with the Training Centre. He says the days are broken into 2 segments.
Under the leadership of Greg Ewasko, Curling Canada's chief ice technician, twenty ice makers from across Canada are learning all aspects of how to take a cooled slab of concrete (Morris Arena) and transition it into Brier/Scotties ice. Once complete on Friday, the 'ice makers' will be tested for level 3 certification under Ewasko.
The training aspect of the event is considered 'segment 1' of the event.
"We're really excited that after a two-year delay, the Cargill Training Centre and the Morris Arena are hosting Curling Canada until the 9th (August 9th)," said Hamblin. "What's exciting is that for those people that watch curling on T.V., this week between yesterday (Aug. 1st) and Friday, they are creating Brier/Scotties ice in the arena. People are welcome to come and watch how they make Olympic arena ice with all of Curling Canada's equipment."
Hamblin notes Curling Canada also extended an invitation outside of Canada to the event. "A representative from the South Korea Curling Association is here for the whole week to be part of this whole program of how you flood ice, paint ice, put rings in, pebble, put foam in, all the dividers, and it's all coming to life in the Morris Arena. So it's exciting to have Canada and the globe here."
Meanwhile, Hamblin notes by Friday afternoon (segment 2) athletes from across Canada and Manitoba will be in Morris and get to practice their skills on Curling Canada's "Brier/Scotties" ice with Curling Canada curling stones. "Some of the teams practicing during the weekend will include Jennifer Jones, Olafson, Schedidegger, Watling, and Others.
Hamblin said Jones will be on the arena ice to test the ice Sunday afternoon.
