Curling fans were treated to an epic match Sunday evening between top-seeded Mike McEwen and Reid Carruthers to cap off the Viterra Provincial Men's Curling Championship.

After proving its hosting chops with the Scotties in 2015, Craig Baker Executive Director of Curl Manitoba says they knew it was going to be a hit.

"It didn't disappoint, from the volunteers to the curling, to the fans in the stands," Baker says, despite some freezing temperatures and blustery weather.

"You look at the people here having fun, for some reason, something goes on in Winkler and everybody is having a great time," Baker says. you saw the people leaving and the people coming and they had big smiles on their faces, that's all we can ask for."

The finals were also filled with drama and surprise twists.

It was the third time in four years McEwen met Carruthers in the final of the Provincial Men’s Curling Championship. After losing to McEwen two years in a row, Team Carruthers came out on top Sunday to become the 2018 Viterra champions with a 7-6 win.

"It tastes a little bit sweeter," Carruthers says, after coming close for a number of years.

Team McEwen was without their skip for most of the weekend after McEwen was hospitalized on Thursday with a severe case of chicken pox.

Photo courtesy Twitter

This weekend teammate Matt Wozniak took to Twitter to thank the staff at BTHC for their quality care of McEwen.

However, Carruthers, like most of the fans and officials, were surprised to see McEwen return for the finals.

"I was almost speechless," Carruthers explains, adding it says a lot about McEwen.

"It shows a lot about his character, his courage, to put himself out there after not playing and leaving it all out on the line."

Team Carruthers will go on to represent Manitoba at the 2018 Brier in Regina March 3-11.