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The Whitehorse Curling Club has been named host of the 2015 Canadian Masters Curling Championship, presented by NVD Hotel Division from March 29 to April 5, 2015.

The news was announced last week.

The event is comprised of separate events for male and female athletes over 60 years of age and open to one team of each gender from each province and territory.

The purpose of the event is to allow athletes to compete against others of their age and ability. The calibre is high since many of the athletes are previous Brier and Scotties participants.

The Masters began as a men’s event for curlers over 60 in 1987.

The event became a true national tournament in 2000.

The inaugural Canadian Masters Curling Championship took place in March of that year at the Valley Curling Club in Cloverdale, B.C., with male and female teams competing for their respective crowns.

Some previous champions include Sue Ann Bartlett of Nova Scotia, Merle Kopach of Saskatchewan, and Gloria Sorley from Ontario – all two-time winners. Ontario’s Joyce Potter won the 2005 event.

Male winners include former Brier champions Toby McDonald – who won with the Jack McDuff rink from Newfoundland – Barry Fry and Don Duguid, two-time winners from Manitoba, and Saskatchewan’s Eugene Hritzuk.

A significant economic benefit can be expected in Whitehorse thanks to the event, not only via curlers, but also spectators attending the championship.

The Canadian Masters Curling Championship is sanctioned by the Canadian Curling Association.