Introduction

British Columbia Interior Masters Curling Association was formed in 1976 to organize, foster and promote curling amongst 60+ year old curlers who curl in a daytime or evening curling league in the BC interior.
Annual competitions are held to determine 4 BCIMCA Zone winners in four categories (i.e., 60+ Ladies, 60+ Mixed, 60+ Men and 70+ Men).
Zone winners advance to a combined provincial championship with the 4 Zone winners from the Pacific Coast Masters Curling Association (PCMCA).

British Columbia Interior Masters Curling Association is sponsored by:

History

Walter Hobbs was instrumental in organizing the Senior Curling Association of BC in 1961 out of Kelowna.
His efforts led to the constitution of the British Columbia Interior Masters Curling Association (BCIMCA) in 1976. Walter Hobbs was elected to the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in 1976. The Walter Hobbs Trophy is awarded annually to the BCIMCA team which has the best record against BCIMCA Zone representatives at the Combined Provincial Championships with the PCMCA.

BCIMCA Governance

The BCIMCA is governed by a Board of Directors which consists of: a President, Vice-President, Immediate Past President, Secretary-Treasurer, a Zone Director from each of the 4 Zones. The Board meets in the spring and fall of each year, and holds its Annual General Meeting during the curling season and is open to all members of the Association.
The Zone Director maintains regular communication with all clubs and members within their Zone. Zone Directors coordinate scheduling of all Zone Play downs and ensure Zone play down events rotate on a regular basis among clubs within their Zone.
The BCIMCA president provides liaison with the PCMCA and with Curl BC on all matters related to the Association.

BCIMCA Zones

There are 4 Zones that make-up the BCIMCA.
Zone 1 – The West Kootenay
Zone 2 – The East Kootenay
Zone 3 – The Central and South Okanagan
Zone 4 – The North Okanagan

Membership

Is open to any BC Interior Curling Club that has all it’s senior curlers (60+ years of age as of December 31st) registered and identified as BCIMCA members by paying a annual $4 membership fee for each curler who is an active curler in a daytime or evening curling league.
The BCIMCA enjoys a membership of approx. 1,200 curlers across 17 curling centers

Affiliation with CurlBC

The BCIMCA is an affiliate of Curl BC and augments their organization by fostering and promotion of curling opportunities to BC residents who are 60+ years of age. In so doing, the BCIMCA and PCMCA receive a combined annual funding of $5,000 from Curl BC.

Rules of the Game

All BCIMCA Bonspiel’s or Play down’s are governed by the “Rules of Play of Curl BC”. All games are 8 ends.
The delivery of a stone may be delivered with a “curling/delivery stick” in all BCIMCA and PCMCA Play. Here, “Stick Curling Canada Rules” apply.

At Provincial Combined Competition play, ties resulting after round-robin play will be resolved as determined by the PCMCA and BCIMCA.

Why should you be a BCIMCA member?

• To support and promote healthy competition and fellowship for curlers 60+ years of age.
• To have the opportunity to compete at the 60+ Master and 70+ Grand Master age Championship levels.
• To compete on a regular 4-member team Zone play down and provincial competition level if a “stick curler”.
• The cost to enter a Zone competition is a kept at a very reasonable amount.
• The Zone winner is provided with an amount of money from the BCIMCA that generally off-sets the majority of out-of-pocket expenses associated with playing at the Combined Provincial Championship Event.

Facts & Figures

• The BCIMCA currently enjoys a combined membership of over 1,100 men and lady curlers in 17 clubs.
• The 60+ Master Men’s Championship commenced in 1976.
• The 70+ Grand Master Men’s Championship commenced in 2003.
• The 60+ Mixed Championship commenced in 2010.
• A ladies 60+ event commenced in 2014.