Bonspiel anyone?
Bonspiel /bahn speel/ noun ~-a curling tournament.
The term bonspiel comes from the Dutch words “bond” meaning league, and “spel” meaning game. So combined a league game or tournament.
Interest in Curling and the availability of the sport has increased through the years here in Montana. The big reason for that? Junior hockey.
Here in Butte, the Community Ice Center, the Glacier Ice Rink in Missoula, the Helena Ice Arena, the Gallatin Ice Center in Bozeman, amongst others, are all arenas that house hockey teams, figure skating clubs, and also curling clubs. You can find out more about each of these individual clubs by clicking on the links provided.
This weekend’s bonspiel will be a competitive event at the Winninghoff Park Rink, with matches starting at 6 pm or Friday, running throughout the day on Saturday, and wrapping up with the Finals on Sunday at 10 am.
There is also a great opportunity to learn how to curl on Saturday. After the first two matches of the day, there will be two different ‘learn to curl’ sessions. The first at noon and the second at 1:15. If you have ever been curious about the sport now is a great time to head over to the Burg and learn how to curl, and then take in some of the bonspiel itself. You can find the full schedule of matches below.
Plan to take a day (or the weekend) and head over to Philipsburg, and take in Montana’s only outdoor bonspiel running Friday through Sunday, and of course, while you are in P-Burg, grab a burger or pizza, maybe some ice cream, and a beverage or 4.
