Selling out an expanded draw for the men's Curling Bonspiel at the new centre here posed no problem for the Cochrane Curling Club.

Drawmaster Ken Weisner says its the largest men's bonspiel the club has been able to host, because of the new facility. In the old curling club, they were able to host a maximum of 24 teams and he can only recall that occurring twice since joining the local men's league as a spare in 2000.

Weisner estimates the men's bonspiel was sold out a couple of weeks in advance and they had two teams on the waiting list.

"We want to keep it at 32 because it's our first year in this facility and there's a lot of unknowns so we didn't want to overextend ourselves and take the time to get used to the new place and how things run here," says Weisner. "It's really nice to have everybody here. They seem to be enjoying themselves, which is a bonus."

Having the new curling centre attached to the SLS Family Sports Centre has captured the interest of curlers throughout the region, he says.

"A lot of the people who have come here really like it because we've got good ice--everybody loves the ice here--and they can do dryland training in the fitness area. So they can get the complete package all in one place here, whereas most other rinks just have the ice."

Among the rinks was a junior Chinese team, from the Hariban Sports University, that has been curling in the Calgary area for the last two months and are returning home this week.

Skip Meng Tian Yu, third Duan Yu, second Zhang Jia Ning and lead Qian Zhi Peng reached the semifinals in the 'A' event before being eliminated by eventual bonspiel winners, the Warren Ferguson rink of Calgary.

The Chinese junior team was coached by Hang Ji Hui and other team members were Zhao He and Ji Ming Yu. They participated in eight bonspiels while in the Calgary area and also practised here mid-week along with a Chinese junior girls team.

Visiting teams also came from Calgary, Strathmore and Canmore.

Other event winners were: 'B' event, Warren Ferguson rink, Calgary; 'C' event, Taylor Kimmett rink, Cochrane; and 'D' event, Doug Campbell rink, Cochrane.

Next up for the Cochrane Curling Club is a one-day sturling event, Feb. 17, and ladies bonspiel, Feb. 23-25. The mixed bonspiel goes Mar. 23-25.