Curling Ontario

Curling Ontario (formerly the Ontario Curling Association and CurlON) is the governing body of curling in Southern Ontario. Northern Ontario is governed by the Northern Ontario Curling Association (NOCA). The Curling Ontario sends a team to represent Team Ontario at all major Canadian Championships. The NOCA sends a separate team to all of these events.

Curling Ontario was founded in 1875 as the Ontario Curling Association. It was renamed CurlON in 2016 and as Curling Ontario in 2024.

Championships

Ontario Tankard

The Ontario Tankard is the provincial championship for men's curling. The winner represents Team Ontario at The Brier.

Previous names:
* Ontario Silver Tankard: 1927-1931
*1932: Round robin playoff between the winners of the Ontario Tankard, Canada Life Trophy and the Toronto Bonspiel.
*1933: Winner was decided between a playoff between the winners of the Ontario Tankard and the Toronto Bonspiel.
*Ontario Tankard: 1934-1937
* British Consols: 1938-1979
*Labatt Tankard: 1980-1985
*Blue Light Tankard: 1986-1995
*Nokia Cup: 1996-2003
*Ontario Men's Curling Championship: 2004
*Kia Cup: 2005-2006
* TSC Stores Tankard: 2007-2009
*Ontario Men's Curling Championship: 2010
* The Dominion Tankard: 2011-2013
*Travelers Tankard: 2014
*Recharge with Milk Tankard: 2015-2017
*Dairy Farmers of Ontario Tankard: 2018
*Ontario Curling Championships: 2019–present

Ontario Women's Curling Championship

The Ontario Women's Curling Championship, formerly the Ontario Scotties Tournament of Hearts is the provincial championship for women's teams. Unlike the Dominion Tankard, the women's championship included teams from both southern and northern Ontario until 2015. The winner of the provincial championship goes on to play in the national championship. Because the national champion returns the previous years champion to the event, if that team is from Ontario, they cannot defend their provincial championship. The national championship has been running since 1962, but the provincial championship has existed since 1956.

U-21 (Juniors)

The U-21 provincial curling championships are held annually in early January. The tournament is for curlers 20 years old and younger. A men's tournament has been held since 1950 and the women's since 1972. The winning team represents Ontario at the Canadian Junior Curling Championships.

Mixed

National champions in bold.

Seniors

The Ontario Senior Championship is for curlers over 50. The winner represents Ontario at the Canadian Senior Curling Championships.

U18 (formerly Bantams)

This event is for curlers 17 and under.

Best Western Intermediates

The Ontario Intermediate Championship was for curlers over 40 (men's) and 35 (women's). It was discontinued after 2018.

Champion skips (1993–2018):

Masters

The Ontario Masters Championship is for curlers over 60. The winner represents Ontario at the Canadian Masters Curling Championships.

(winners since 1993)

Mixed Doubles Challenge

First instituted in 2013 to send a team to the inaugural National Mixed Doubles Championship.

Gore Mutual Schoolboy/girl

This event is the provincial school championship, and teams represent their secondary schools rather than clubs. The boys event has been held annually since 1948.
*2019 schoolgirl champion: A. N. Myer Secondary School (Megan Ford)
*2019 schoolboy champion: Fellowes High School (Cole Lyon)

Notable past champions
*Scott McDonald, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School (2004)
* Tim March, Sir Oliver Mowat CI (2005)
*Patrick Janssen, Sir Oliver Mowat CI (2005)
*Mark Bice, Northern Collegiate Institute and Vocational School (2002)
*Steve Bice, Northern Collegiate Institute and Vocational School (2000)
* Jason Young, Lambton C.V.I. (1998)
*Greg Balsdon, Don Mills Collegiate Institute (1995)
*Dale Matchett, Bradford District High School (1994)
*Pat Ferris, Sutton District High School (1993)
*Joe Frans, Smiths Falls District Collegiate Institute (1991)
*Scott Patterson, Fellowes High School (1987)
* Daryl Shane, John Diefenbaker Secondary School (1978)
* Paul Savage, Don Mills Collegiate Institute (1965)

Wheelchair Championship

This is a mixed event, featuring wheelchair curling.

Champions:
*2025: Shauna Petrie, Toronto Cricket
*2024: Doug Morris, King C.C.
*2023: Jon Thurston, King C.C.
*2022: Not held
*2020: Cancelled
*2019: Jim Armstrong, City View C.C.
*2018: Chris Rees, Toronto Cricket
*2017: Mike Munro, Ilderton C.C.
*2016: Chris Rees, Toronto Cricket
*2015: Chris Rees, Peterborough C.C.
*2014: Mike Munro, Ilderton C.C.
*2013: Ken Gregory, Bradford & District C.C.
*2012: Mark Ideson, Ilderton C.C.
*2011: Chris Rees, Toronto Cricket
*2010: Bruce Cameron, RA Centre
*2009: Ken Gregory, Bradford & District C.C.
*2008: Chris Rees, Leaside C.C.
*2007: Chris Rees, Leaside C.C.
*2006: Chris Rees, Leaside C.C.
*2005: Ken Gregory, Toronto Cricket

;Wheelchair doubles.
Introduced in 2023. Champions are as follows:
*2025: Jon Thurston & Christine Molnar, Bobcaygeon C.C.
*2024: Chris Rees & Ken Gregory, King C.C.
*2023: Alec Denys & Carl Bax, Peterborough C.C.

Men's Fairfield Marriott/Women's Challenge

This event allowed more amateur curlers to win a provincial championship. Only two members of a team were allowed to have won a zone crest in any other event except for youth events. In addition, only two members of the team could have won the provincial event before. All zone winners went straight to a 32 team provincial championship. This event was cancelled after 2018.

Notable winners:
* 2005 women's: Cathy Auld ( St. George's Golf and Country Club)

Colts/Trophy

This event has historically disqualified the top teams in the province. In its final year, 2018, the winners qualified for the Ontario Tankard (men's) and the Ontario Scotties Tournament of Hearts (women's).

Notable past winners:
* Sebastien Robillard (2018)
* Chrissy Cadorin (2018)
* Alison Goring (2014)
*Mark Kean (2010)
* Kimberly Tuck (2005)
* Jon St. Denis (2004)
* Chad Allen (2002)
*Brent Ross (1997)
*Adam Spencer (1994)
* Nick Rizzo (1988)
* Paul Savage (1968)

Junior Mixed

This event existed until 2016 and was replaced by the U21 Mixed Doubles championship. Competitors must be 20 years or younger as of December 31 of the previous year.

Past winners:

U21 Mixed Doubles

U18 Mixed

Previously known as Bantam Mixed

*2019 champions: Jordan McNamara, Alyssa Blad, Maxime Daigle, Laura Smith

Notable past winners:
*2013: Jeff Wanless, Jestyn Murphy, Hale Murphy, Leah Will
*2012: Sarah Nuhn, John Willsey, Hilary Nuhn, Jean-Michel Barrette
*2011: Jason Camm
*2010: Tyler Sagan, Carly Howard, Jason Camm, Joan Moore
*2009: Richard Krell
*2008: Lynn Kreviazuk
*2003: Rob Bushfield, Rachel Homan, Alex Coon, Alison Kreviazuk
*2002: Chris Gardner
*1998: Bobby Reid, Megan Balsdon, Mark Stanfield, Kelly Cochrane

Senior Mixed

Mixed curling for male curlers over 50 and female curlers over 45.

Notable past champions:
*2017: Rob Lobel
*2013, 2015 & 2022: Rick Thurston
*2024: Adam Spencer
*2025: Howard Rajala

Silver Tankard

In this event, each club that enters has two teams, who compete against other clubs, and scores are totalled in aggregate form. Regional and zone playdowns are single-knock out rather than double. It is the oldest of the O.C.A. events, dating back to 1875. The women's event has been held since 1914.

The event served as a provincial championship from 1927 to 1931 with a team selected from with winning club representing Ontario at the Brier. In 1932 and 1933, the winner entered a playoff to go to the Brier, and from 1934 to 1937, the winner of the Brier trophy event of the Tankard went to the Brier.

In 2022, the event format changed, with the men's and women's events being merged into one. The event is still a double rink event, except one team must be a men's team, and the other a women's team.

Champion clubs since 1992:

Curling Club Championship

Champions

Grandmasters

This event is for curlers over the age of 70. The event is an open event, that women and men may enter. It began in 2007.

Winners:
*2007: Peter Barker
*2008: Al Boyle
*2009: Garry Holmes
*2010: Peter Barker
*2011: Austin Palmer
*2012: Rod Matheson
*2013: Art Leganchuk
*2014: Bob Edmondson
*2015: Benny Brock
*2016: Ron Perrier
*2017: Gerard Gidding
*2018: Bob Edmondson
*2019: Don Moseley-Williams
*2020–22: ''Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic''
*2023: Ted Hellyer
*2024: Willie Beaton
*2025: Al Hutchinson

Provincial Stick Bonspiel

In this event, curlers must use a "stick" to throw the rock. "Sticks" are usually used by disabled and elderly athletes unable to throw the rock by sliding along the ice. The event began in 2007.

Winners:
*2007: Del Hicke
*2008: Harold Peltzer
*2009: Harold Peltzer
*2010: Ed Ferguson
*2011: Bruce Jeffrey
*2012: Bruce Jeffrey
*2013: Carl Glatt
*2014: Carl Glatt
*2015: Bruce Jeffrey
*2016: Hugh Chesser
*2017: Bruce Folkard
*2019: Bruce Gillespie
*2020: cancelled
*2022: Rick Thurston
*2023: Morris Anderson
*2024: Morris Anderson
*2025: Rick Thurston

;Two-person (open)
*2019: Ron Scheckenberger/Ken Mattis
*2020: Ron Scheckenberger/Ken Mattis
*2022: Jim Armstrong/Ian Gray
*2023: Morris Anderson/Wayne Shea
*2024: Ron Scheckenberger/ Rick Thurston
*2025: Ron Scheckenberger/ Rick Thurston

;Two-person (women)
*2025: Nancy Sheppard/Caroline Watt

Elementary School Championship

This event is open to elementary school students of any gender. Teams represent their elementary schools. The event began in 1993.

Past winners:
* Tanner Horgan, MacLeod Public School (2012)

Trillium Club Championship

This event began in 2023 and features teams who participate in local and provincial bonspiels. Teams earn points from these tournaments and are invited to play in this event.

Winners:

Best Western Challenge

This is a new event which began in 2025, and features two tiers; a "Tier 1" event where only two players per team can have played on a team that has made the playoffs in a provincial championship that leads to a national championship (excluding the Club Championships) within the previous three years, and a "Tier 2" event, where none of the teams can have players that have participated in a Provincial Championship leading to a national championship.

Winners:

Ontario Parasport Games

Winners:

*2006: Bruce Cameron ( RA Centre)
*2008: Chris Daw (Bradford)
*2010: Ken Gregory (Bradford)
*2012: Ken Gregory (Bradford)

Ontario Winter Games

Winners:

;Men's
*2002: Mike Anderson (Bayview)
*2004: Shane Latimer (Winchester)
*2006: Neil Sinclair (Manotick)
*2008: Richard Krell (St. Thomas)
*2010: Ben Bevan (Annandale)
*2012: Doug Kee (Sarnia)
*2014: Matthew Hall (Stroud)
*2016: ''Cancelled''
*2018: Josh Leung (Whitby)
*2020: Dylan Niepage (Coldwater)

;Women's
*2002: Laura Payne (Prescott)
*2004: Hollie Nicol (Bayview)
*2006: Rachel Homan (City View)
*2008: Crystal Lillico (Winchester)
*2010: Lauren Horton (Huntley)
*2012: Krysta Burns (Idylwylde)
*2014: Megan Smith (Sudbury)
*2016: ''Cancelled''
*2018: Rachel Steele (Port Perry)
*2020: Emily Deschenes (Manotick)

;Wheelchair
*2012: Chris Rees (Toronto Cricket)
*2014: Chris Rees (Peterborough)
*2018: ?
*2020: Carl Bax

;Mixed doubles
*2018: Kira Brunton & Jacob Horgan (Sudbury)
*2020: Mychelle Zahab & Sam Mooibroek

See also

* List of curling clubs in Ontario
* Northern Ontario Curling Association
*Ottawa Valley Curling Association
* Toronto Curling Association

References

{{Reflist

Sources

*Soudog's Curling History Site
*Curlingzone.com
*Ontario Curling Association
*Canadian Curling Association

Curling governing bodies in Canada
Sports governing bodies in Ontario
Curling in Ontario