After a year away – due to renovations at the Peace Arch Curling Club – the annual Bye the Sea bonspiel returned to White Rock last weekend as popular as ever, even bringing a few old friends “out of retirement.”
The 16-team senior ladies bonspiel, which ran from Friday until Sunday afternoon at the White Rock curling club, was won by Marpole’s Laura Rampton team, while a Cloverdale rink skipped by Diane Jarvos placed second, and Langley’s Gwen Clark rink was third.
“It went very well. It’s such a popular event, and after a year away, it’s good to be back,” said Crystal Furgala, one of the bonspiel organizers.
The top Peace Arch club was Rosella Moloughney’s rink, which placed fourth, while the PACC rink, skipped by Divera Meeres, was fifth.
And while the club – including lead organizer Nicole Killy – was thrilled with the turnout, even having to turn some interested teams away, the highlight for many came off the ice Sunday, during the event’s luncheon, Furgala said.
That’s when the Ladies of the Night – a group of women from the PACC’s Wednesday night league – returned to the stage after a lengthy absence to perform.
“They take old songs, and change the words to make them curling songs,” Furgala explained. “They performed once in August, but aside from that, it had been a couple years, at least.
“They were fantastic, just wonderful. We love them.”