Fargo-Moorhead to Host 2011 USA Curling National Championships
Start Date: 2/12/2011
End Date: 2/19/2011
Description: Ticket information coming soon
Fargo, N.D. - Officials from the United States Curling Association (USCA) have announced Fargo-Moorhead as the site of the 2011 USA Curling National Championships. The tournament, which will be held at the Urban Plains Center Feb. 9-19, 2011, will feature the nation's top ten men's teams and top ten women's teams. The champions of the elite tournament will go on to represent the United States in the 2011 Women's World Curling Championships in Esbjerg, Denmark, Mar. 19-27, 2011, and the 2011 Men's World Curling Championships in Regina, Canada, Apr. 2-10, 2011.
The bid process began in the spring of 2009. The Fargo-Moorhead community was selected from a pool of several initial applicants. Other interested bidders included Mankato, Minn.; Fairbanks, Ala.; and New Haven, Conn.
"The strength of this winning bid was a strong partnership between the Urban Plains Center, Fargo-Moorhead leadership, and the Fargo-Moorhead Curling Club," said Rick Patzke, chief operating officer of USA Curling. "We are pleased to be able to bring the premiere national curling championship to a community with such a strong curling tradition as well as a welcoming spirit."
Curling is not a new sport to the Fargo-Moorhead area. The local curling club, whose members will comprise a large part of the local organizing committee for the Championships, are excited to showcase their sport on the national level.
"With the recent outpouring of interest in curling due to the Olympics, the Fargo-Moorhead Curling Club is excited for the upcoming 2011 men's and women's Nationals to take place in Fargo," said Amelia Pirkl, member of the bid committee to bring the event to the Fargo area as well as the FM Curling Club. "It will offer the community yet another opportunity to learn more about the sport of curling as well as a chance to see the elite athletes play down for the opportunity to represent our country at the 2011 World Curling Championship."
The Fargo-Moorhead community will benefit in other ways than just entertainment with the arrival of the 2011 USA Curling National Championships.
"The athletes and fans coming to Fargo-Moorhead for this event will be here for eight or more days, and we anticipate direct visitor spending to be over $1 million," said Steve Saxlund from the Fargo-Moorhead Convention & Visitors Bureau. "We are excited anytime we can show off Fargo-Moorhead to a governing body, and we know this will lead to more events in the future."
The 2010 USA Curling Nationals are currently taking place in Kalamazoo, MI, with the championship round on Saturday evening. Interested individuals can listen live through the USCA website at usacurl.org.
