May is Vision Health Month
Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/1077918
COMING SOON TO MANITOBA'S SECOND-BIGGEST CITY - THE BIGGEST CURLING EVENT IN THE WORLD. Making every move easy since 1975 • OFFICE MOVING • RESIDENTIAL MOVING • SPECIALT Y MOVES • HEATED WAREHOUSE STORAGE Proud to support CurlManitoba 204-925-6683 877-974-6683 (TOLL-FREE) quotes@winnipegmoving.com Call us today for a FREE, No Obligation Estimate! Affiliate location: Brandon Moving | 204-725-6683 | www.brandonmoving.ca winnipegmoving.com 13122-GW-WMS-Ad [FreePress][5x5.25] Dec2018-FNL.indd 1 2018-12-19 11:10 AM Curling for Life Endowment Fund TM DONATE TODAY Supporting development, scholarships and promotion of the game of curling in Manitoba 4 2 0 1 9 V I T E R R A C H A M P I O N S H I P FEBRUARY 6 - 10, 2019 | TUNDRA OIL AND GAS PLACE, VIRDEN CURLING'S BEST TO DESCEND ON BRANDON FOR BRIER B Y G E O F F K I R B Y S O N No, not the Olympics or the world champi- onships, it's the Tim Hortons Brier. "Most people would consider the Olympics to be bigger but from the point of view of an audience, (the Brier) is the biggest, both on TV and in person. It draws more than the world championships all the time," said Rob Dewhirst, event manager for Curling Canada. "Canada is the biggest curling country in the world with the most fans and participants. There are some great European curlers but some of the countries (they represent) don't have too many people playing the sport." This is the first time the Brier has been back in Brandon since 1982 and the first time in Manitoba since Winnipeg hosted 11 years ago. Running from March 2-10 at Westoba Place, formerly the Keystone Centre, this year's event marks the second time with a new 16-team format featuring two eight- team pools and 24 draws. Every province and territory gets a team, plus last year's defending champions from Newfoundland & Labrador, who are now Team Canada, plus Northern Ontario. The two top teams from across the country that didn't qualify in their regions will play a single-knockout game for the final spot. A relegation format was used during the previous Olympic cycle in which three or four teams, based on their rankings from the previous year's Brier, played off for a final spot to keep the draw at 12 teams. "This is better. How would you feel if you were in the regulation, played three games and were on your way home before the fans even hit the building?" Dewhirst said. Full-event ticket packages have been on sale since last March and weekend packages have been available since the fall. The rest of the inventory of single-draw tickets was recently made available. "The building is pretty full but there is still lots of room for people to take advantage of the single ticket opportunities and come see the Brier," he said. Total ticket sales are being kept close to the vest but Dewhirst said he's optimistic that they will achieve the goal set out by Curling Canada. A ticket for a single draw, for