Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

INUVIK
A team of volunteer firefighters from Inuvik is looking to sweep New Brunswick off the map.

A team of Inuvik firefighters is going to the national curling championships in New Brunswick this week. Pictured are Dave Dempsey, left, Fire Chief Jim Sawkins, Duane DeBastien and Victor Parnell. It's the first time an Inuvik team has qualified for the tournament. - T. Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo

Comprised of Victor Parnell, Dave Dempsey and Duane DeBastien, the team jetted off to St. John, N.B., late last week to compete in the 54th Hydrant Championship, the national tournament for the Canadian Firefighters Curling Association.

The team stepped in to fill the spot after placing second last month in the territorial tournament held in Inuvik. A team from Fort Simpson finished first, but had to decline the opportunity to travel to New Brunswick due to business and financial reasons.

The Inuvik team was offered the chance, and spent some time mulling it over before accepting the slot.

Because teammate John Hicks wasn't able to go with the other members, the fourth space of the team will be filled by a player designated at the tournament, Parnell said.

"We're very excited," he said. "It's the first time an Inuvik team has ever qualified for the tournament."

The team members estimated it would cost approximately $10,000 to $12,000 to participate in the tournament. That's partly why they didn't accept the opportunity right away, along with having to arrange time off from work to travel to New Brunswick.

Once the decision was made to go, they started fundraising immediately, and then Fire Chief Jim Sawkins stepped in to help. He's paying all of the costs up front out of his pocket, Parnell said, so the fundraising money is going directly back to him.

Sawkins downplayed his generosity, and said he simply wanted to help the team with the opportunity of a lifetime.

The territorial tournament was the first time the men had played together as a team. DeBastien is an experienced curler, while Parnell and Dempsey are in their second and first seasons respectively. All play in the weekly firefighters' league here in town.

That doesn't mean the team isn't fired up to compete.

"We're going to be up against the best," Dempsey said. "Just showing up means a lot."

As he said, anything can happen in the tournament.

The firefighters have also talked the town into making a bid to host the 2016 national championships in Inuvik, and are excited at the prospect.

Such an event would fill every hotel room in the area, Parnell said, and be a great chance to showcase the town.

"It's never been held here and we'd like to see that happen," he said.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.