Champions return to defend crowns at Hat Charity Classic

By Ryan McCracken on October 19, 2018.

rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com @MHNMcCracken

The Hat Charity Classic is back for its 24th season on the sheets.

Reigning Charity Classic and Alberta Brier champion Brendan Bottcher returns to defend his crown while Trevor Funk’s foursome stands as the only local squad vying for this year’s title.

“Last year I think they ended up losing a qualifier, maybe two qualifiers to get into the money,” Medicine Hat Curling Club manager Vickie Sjolie said of Funk’s team. “That’s always the goal for everybody, is to get into that qualifying round, because then you don’t know what’s going to happen. You have eight teams that have a chance of taking home all the money.”

The event will feature 20 men’s teams and 10 women’s squads, including reigning champion Candace Chisholm and two-time junior world champion Kelsey Rocque. Women’s play is set to conclude with a 5 p.m. final Sunday evening, while the men’s event finish up with championship play Monday.

The bonspiel has been raising funds for the Children’s Wish Foundation ever since its inception. Over the years the Hat Charity Classic has been responsible for raising $107,490 to help grant wishes to children between the ages of 3 and 17 that have been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. Last year the event pulled in $5,255

“We’ve always been partnered with the Children’s Wish Foundation so we made it a charity spiel in the hopes of attracting people to Medicine Hat and the community has been supporting the charity as well as coming out to watch some great curling,” said Sjolie. “It’s usually been around ($5,000). We had a few really good years in there, where we had lots and lots of teams.”

The action begins today with draws at 2 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Play continues with draws at 10 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Competition concludes Monday with the men’s quarter-finals at 9 a.m., semifinals at 12:30 p.m. and final at 3:30 p.m.

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