Gazette staff
The largest bonspiel on the North Island will take place this weekend when Fort Rupert Curling Club of Port Hardy welcomes 24 teams to its annual Hugh Fraser Memorial Men's Open Bonspiel Friday through Sunday at Storey's Beach.
Action begins Friday with the first of three draws at 6:30 p.m. Curling continues all day Saturday and resumes at 8 a.m. Sunday, with finals in four divisions scheduled for 2:45 p.m.
The field will include multiple rinks from both the Fort Rupert and Port McNeill-based Broughton curling clubs, as well as numerous teams visiting from down-Island. Participants will be treated to the Open's traditional seafood feed Friday night and full banquet Saturday evening, event organizer Doug McCorquodale said.
Primary sponsors included Pacific Coastal Airlines, Swiftsure Petroleum, Landon Motors, Keltic Seafoods and Smyth and Co. law office.
Concession and lounge services are available to the viewing public, and there is no admission fee for spectators.