There’s nothing new about beer in curling clubs but those involved with the Comox Valley Curling Club believe they have an innovative idea which could be a first in Canada.
Four teams made up of microbrewery operators in the community are bringing their friendly business rivalries to the ice to see who can toss beer kegs the farthest along a sheet of ice.
The competition is part of an 80-person bonspiel that will take place this weekend to help raise funds for the Comox Valley Transition Society.
While most of the competitors will throw regular curling stones, four teams will play with kegs.
“They’re way lighter than regular rocks,” said Cumberland Brewing Company’s Darren Adam. “These aren’t full kegs. If they were full kegs it would actually be a wrecking ball. As empty kegs, it’s a little bit harder to get the inertia to get them going to make it all the way [into the house].”
Fifty cents from every beer sold over the weekend will go to help the society and members of the public will also be able to toss a keg down the ice for a $5 entry fee. Those who get closest to the button will win prizes.
Keith Parry, the curling club’s manager says it’s not clear how much damage the kegs will do to the ice.
“The ice surface at a curling rink is kind of like a fine painting, we try to look after it,” he said. “This is the end of our season so if we trash the ice for a good cause, that’s totally fine with us.”
