Forty teams and a total of 160 curlers from across Alberta are in Cochrane right now for a provincial showdown to determine who advances to the nationals in Quebec City in late August.

Play begins today and continues until Sunday for the 55 Plus Sports Provincial Championships at the Cochrane Curling Centre.

It's the first time they've been held here and follow in the steps of hosting the Zone 2 Big Country zone qualifers in December.

"I exaggerate, but this is the Brier and the Scotties coming to little old Cochrane, only it's for people that are 55 to 85 years old, so I really encourage people to come down and watch," says Campbell.

Seven of the teams are from the Cochrane area. The rest are from as far north as Peace Country and south a Lethbridge, and there's several from neighbouring communities in the Calgary region.

By Sunday, eight teams will have won the right to pursue national 55+ titles. There are championships on the line for both 55+ and 65+ men's, women's and mixed, 70+ men's and women's and 75+ open.

Saturday will be particular special for curlers across the nation. It's Curling Day in Canada.

"We're bringing in a bagpiper, many of our teams dress up in costume, and we're having a band, music and dancing, and we invite everybody to come down."

Some teams were already here yesterday, testing the ice at the centre in preparation for the showdown.

In December, four local teams originally advanced to the provincials. With fill-ins for other zones, that number has since climbed.

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