"We hope that this prestigious event will help to spread the word about the sport of curling, not just in Lancashire where we are based, but throughout the UK. "
Guy Topping
The Flower Bowl Entertainment Centre is set to host the World Curling Federation’s Stepping Stones event this month.
The programme this year has been organised by the English and Welsh Curling Associations. It will run at the centre, near Garstang, from Saturday 24th August to Sunday 8th September.
The event will be attended by the English and Welsh women's, men's and mixed doubles teams, together with juniors (under 21) and the wheelchair curling team.
Managing director of The Flower Bowl Entertainment Centre and The Barton Grange Group, Guy Topping, said: “We are delighted that The Flower Bowl Entertainment Centre has been selected to host the World Curling Federation’s Stepping Stones programme. The feedback we have had from the English and Welsh Curling Associations about the centre has been extremely positive and we are really looking forward to hosting the teams next month.
“We hope that this prestigious event will help to spread the word about the sport of curling, not just in Lancashire where we are based, but throughout the UK. This is also a superb opportunity to see the best curlers in the two countries go through their paces under the guidance of world class coaches.”
The Stepping Stones programme is an initiative that introduces elite athletes and coaches to tools that will help them maximise their performance abilities. The participants will have the chance to take advantage of the skills and knowledge of world class instructors, provided by the World Curling Federation.
President of the English Curling Association, Andrew Reed, said: “The Flower Bowl curling rink, which only opened in August 2018, has already earned a reputation for its colourful ice and friendly welcome. The availability of ice and classroom facilities the whole year round makes it a very suitable place to host out-of-season training, such as the Stepping Stones programme.
“At an international level, both countries have experienced sporadic success over the years, but hope that the benefits from this programme will help our teams to achieve more consistent success in the future. Thanks to the World Curling Federation for providing us with this opportunity and to The Flower Bowl for hosting us.”
