Local curlers turned out in record numbers this past weekend for the Canadian Tire Sportsman Bonspiel at the Whitehorse Curling Club.

Thirty teams and 120 curlers, ranging in experience from veteran to novice, took to the ice and tested their skills against the local competition.

Clarence Jack, the organizer of the event, attributed the impressive attendance numbers to a newly implemented bonspiel format.

The teams were broken down into five divisions, with the most competitive teams playing in the top group. The remaining squads were then grouped into descending order based on their competitiveness.

The format gives everyone a chance to compete and accumulate points within their pool, allowing any team to win.

"It was structured to get the recreational curlers involved with the competitive curlers and give everybody a chance to win,” said Jack.

Jack said the club first implemented the format in 2008 after their numbers had dipped substantially in the year's prior.

In 2007 the same bonspiel event drew only 12 teams into the competition. Jack knew the system had to be improved to get increased exposure on the local front.

"In the old format, it was the same teams and the same curlers winning so the less experienced teams didn't have much of a chance,” he said.

In 2008, the club introduced the current format and 30 teams showed up, more than doubling the previous years attendance.

"This kind of bonspiel is a club builder,” said Jack. "Everyone has a chance to compete and if a recreational curler wins a prize they are liable to come back and curl again.”

Jack said the club first noticed the format coming out of the Alberta ranks and after they began to implement the system, they received a call from a curling club in Scotland.

"They read about the success of our new bonspiel and wanted to get all the information on how to run it themselves,” said Jack.

In this year's event, the structure broke down exactly the way Jack had hoped it would.

Bernie Adilman's team, who were placed in the third pool, emerged the victors.

"It was a great weekend,” said Adilman, who has been curling for over 15 years. "I was with three recreational curlers and were able to win the whole thing.”

Adilman also praised the tournament structure.

"The problem we had before is the recreational curlers wouldn't compete because they would be losing right away to the competitive guys. This system has really revived bonspiels up here. It's a wonderful format,” he said.

Adilman said the event encourages new participants and brings new energy and life into the club.

"A lot of guys that used to curl but haven't been out as much recently come out to events like this and it's a lot of fun,” he said.

Because the winning team isn't decided until the last rock is thrown, Jack said the format allows for the curlers to participate all weekend long in the bonspiel, from start to finish.

"On the old format, on the last day the only curlers that would be there would be the veterans but with this new format you don't know who the winner is until the last rock is thrown so everyone turns up,” he said.

For their winning effort, the Adilman and his team were awarded championship mugs and first pick off a prize table that featured over 80 products from Canadian Tire.

Adilman, who has been competing in the bonspiel for over 10 years, said it was one of the best in recent memory.

"It was a lot of fun and hopefully everybody will come out again next year.”