LAC LA BICHE - For Lac La Biche curler Les Cote, being involved in the sport is as much about having fun and mingling with others as it is about contending.
“What I like about curling is that it is a very social activity for the most part, and you meet a lot of great people along the way,” he told Lakeland This Week.
Cote has been a familiar face in the Lac La Biche Curling scene for close to four decades.
In that time, he has curled in men’s and mixed leagues and has also participated in bonspiels in nearby communities such as Plamondon, Hylo, Wandering River, and Boyle. The dedicated curler has taken his game to larger competitions in Edmonton and Fort McMurray as well as those hosted across the Lakeland region, including Cold Lake, St. Paul, and Bonnyville.
“I used to curl pretty competitively but have toned that down to having fun and socializing.”
Although Cote doesn’t compete at the level he once did, one tournament that he continues to participate in annually is the Men’s Curling Spiel. The one-day event, which is organized by the Lac La Biche Curling Club, will be taking place on Jan. 18 at the Bold Centre.
The long-running bonspiel features a hockey theme, with curlers taking to the ice wearing the jerseys of their favourite hockey teams. Last year’s event, which coincided with Hockey Day in Canada and the Battle of Alberta between the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames, saw various teams represented in the jerseys worn by curlers.
According to information from the Lac La Biche Curling Club, the 2025 edition of the Men’s Curling Spiel will feature a skins format, with all teams playing three six-end games each.
The entry for each team is $200, which includes dinner and games. Following the tournament, winning teams receive prizes, and competitors will gather to watch the Battle of Alberta between the Oilers and the Flames.
For the upcoming Men’s Curling Spiel, Cote will be competing with a team comprised of himself and Lac La Biche County residents Maurice Richard, Brian Shapka, and Allan Moghrabi.
When asked what he enjoys most about the hockey-themed curling tournament, Cote said he likes that everyone who participates is there to have fun, and it isn’t as serious as other competitions.
“Don’t get me wrong. They are still competitive, but it’s not the end of the world if you lose a game or two,” he said, with a smile.
For more information about the 2025 Men’s Curling Spiel, contact the Lac La Biche Curling Club at 780-689-8135.
