Kamloops will host the 2023 Scotties Tournament of Hearts

The best female curlers in the country will descend on Kamloops next year.

Curling Canada announced today that Kamloops will host the 2023 Scotties Tournament of Hearts at the Sandman Centre from Feb. 17-26, 2023.

BREAKING NEWS: The 2023 Scotties Tournament of Hearts Canadian will be played Feb. 17-26 at the Sandman Centre in Kamloops, B.C. Details available in our story ➡️ https://t.co/FyxPU3Z7K5#STOH2023 pic.twitter.com/7NQr9jeg8p

— Curling Canada (@CurlingCanada) January 6, 2022

The Scotties is the annual Canadian women’s curling championship and the winner goes on to represent Canada at the World Curling Championships.

The winning team also gets an automatic berth into the following year’s tournament as Team Canada.

Kamloops 2023 will be the 42nd edition of the tournament, which debuted in Regina back in 1982.

“Hosting the Scotties Tournament of Hearts is a huge opportunity for a host city to promote itself and generate economic activity for local business, and it’s why it’s such a competitive process for bidding cities,” said Katherine Henderson, CEO of Curling Canada.

“Kamloops came in with a bid that was superb in every way; the Tournament Capital of Canada knows how to host major events, as we’ve seen in the past, and I know it’s going to be an amazing Scotties in 2023.”

This will be the first time Kamloops hosts the Scotties, but the city did host the Tim Hortons Brier in both 1996 and 2014, as well as the World Men's and Women's Curling Championships in 1998.

“Kamloops has a well-earned reputation for hosting first-class championships in all sports, and its history with major curling events is well-known,” said Scott Braley, executive director and CEO of Curl BC.

"I have every confidence that the 2023 Scotties will be a huge success, on and off the ice.”

Kamloops Mayor Ken Christian added that Kamloops has a rich tradition with curling events and doesn't expect this time around to be any different.

“We are beyond thrilled with the opportunity to again showcase our City and to have been selected to host this prestigious championship.”

Christian added that 400 volunteers will be needed to make the tournament run smoothly and it's expected to bring a $5-million infusion into the city's economy.

It's expected that the legendary Saturday night party for curlers and fans, otherwise known as the Patch, will be held at Memorial Arena in Kamloops, where it was held for the 2014 Brier.

The last time the Scotties came to British Columbia was in 2018 when it was played at the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton.

This year’s tournament will be played in Thunder Bay, Ont.