The host committee of the DEKALB SuperSpiel has announced that the 13th edition of the bonspiel has a new date.

With all of Manitoba under COVID-19 code red restrictions, the SuperSpiel will now take place from January 29th to February 1st at the Morris MultiPlex.

The bonspiel was originally slated to begin on Friday, November 27th with 12 women’s teams and 18 men’s teams registered.

“Based on our current environment it’s necessary,” said Morris Curling Club acting president Curt Recksiedler on the decision to reschedule their marquee event. “It’s not ideal. November is a better time of year for us. It’s something that we can’t cancel altogether so pushing it off towards the end of January is our next best option.”

Curlers, coaches, volunteers and the ice-crew would have been the only personnel allowed in the MultiPlex had the host committee been able to use the November date.

Curling fans would not have been allowed in the building.

Recksiedler is hopeful COVID numbers will go down and restrictions will be eased before the bonspiel begins in 10 weeks.

“We can only hope that we can have spectators in there. Just to be able to support the event. Never mind the food services and the bar but to see our facilities which are really second to none in the province. Just to be able to take in the event and enjoy the caliber of curling that’s there.”

The acting president of the Curling Club has been a volunteer at the DEKALB SuperSpiel since the event was first held in the spring of 2009.

“This bonspiel has been what’s keeping our curling club going,” Recksiedler said. “Without the generous sponsorship from this event we would have closed years ago.”

The DEKALB SuperSpiel will be held the week after the 2021 Provincial Scotties Tournament of Hearts and one week before the start of the Viterra Provincial Men’s Curling Championship.