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NLIS 3 August 28, 2003 (Tourism, Culture and Recreation) 2005 Scott Tournament of Hearts announcement the result of community partnering Ralph Wiseman, Minister of Human Resources and Employment, on behalf of Julie Bettney, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation; Andy Wells, Mayor of the City of St. John�s; and Donna Duffett, Director with the Canadian Curling Association, today announced that the Canadian Women�s Curling Championship, the Scott Tournament of Hearts, will be held at Mile One Stadium in February of 2005. "This is a spectacular day for the sports community in this province," said Minister Bettney. "Hosting this showcase of Canadian curling talent demonstrates that we have attained national recognition for our ability to hold such an event. It also attests to the level of cooperation between the City of St. John�s, the province and the local curling community to make this great event a reality. Coupled with the continued support and pride of the many volunteers and athletes from our province, this tournament will be a tremendous success." In 1999, a bid committee was established to bring the Scott Tournament of Hearts to St. John�s in 2005. It consists of representatives from the provincial government, the City of St. John�s, the Civic Centre Corporation, the Newfoundland and Labrador Curling Association and the two curling clubs in St. John�s. "I am so excited about the announcement of the Scott Tournament of Hearts being hosted in St. John�s at Mile One. It will have been 24 years since we last hosted the Canadian Women�s Curling Championship. The legacy of the Scott Tournament of Hearts will be felt for years to come in terms of financial support to assist in the growth and development of our sport in this region. The enhanced profile that curling will receive during this event will generate more interest in the sport of curling and benefit membership at the grassroots level," said Donna Duffett. Mayor Andy Wells also expressed his delight with the announcement. "For some time now, I have been working with the players behind the scenes to make this event a reality. While I felt that we would be successful, it�s like Yogi Berra said: �It ain�t over �til it�s over.� Now that we have officially confirmed the Scott Tournament of Hearts for 2005, I look forward to working with the province and the curling association to make this a memorable event." The Scott Tournament of Hearts is recognized as the premier women�s national sporting event in Canada. For 10 days in February of each year, teams from across the country will compete for the title of Canadian champions. The winners go on to represent Canada at the World Championships and become part of Team North America in the Continental Cup. They also receive berths in both the Canada Cup and the Canadian Curling trials. Media contact:
2003 08 28 12:35 p.m. |
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