In a thrilling showdown at Centre 200 on Sunday evening, a nearly packed arena rallied behind Team Canada as they clinched a nail-biting gold medal victory over Switzerland at the 2024 World Women’s Curling Championship.
Reflecting on the unforgettable atmosphere, Team Canada skip Rachel Homan remarked, “It’s just an arena I’ll never forget. This week, the fans – I don’t think there was an empty seat in the crowd.”
The sentiment was echoed by Team Canada alternate Rachelle Brown, who celebrated her second gold win in Sydney, stating, “It’s such a special building! It’s even more special now, and to do it with this amazing group of women.”
From the onset, Curling Canada anticipated robust attendance and community support for the event, drawing 12 teams along with their families and fans from across the globe.
“We’d love to see a butt in every seat for that game,” expressed Curling Canada’s Al Cameron ahead of the gold medal final.
The turnout exceeded expectations, with final attendance numbers reaching approximately 4,300 for the gold medal match and over 45,000 for the entire tournament.
“It shows that we’re curling fans here and it’s time for them to bring in the men as well for the Brier,” remarked curling enthusiast Cheryl Crawford during the gold medal match.
Fans and officials alike marveled at the fervent support, with sentiments like, “I don’t think we’ve seen a crowd like this here in a dog’s age.”
For Sydney, witnessing such a monumental victory on home turf was a rare occurrence, reminiscent of the Cape Breton Oilers’ Calder Cup championship in 1993.
As fans celebrated the triumph, Janet Stubbert from the Halifax area expressed her elation, saying, “I’m so happy, and we’ve had such an exciting weekend. Oh my God, fabulous – you have no idea.”
Amidst the celebrations, teams paid tribute to the home crowd, and children had the chance to meet their curling idols.
For Rachel Homan and her team, the experience was deeply meaningful, with Homan remarking, “It’s a week I’ll never forget. Sydney made us feel like home.”
Brown echoed this sentiment, stating, “Forever. I will forever have fond memories of this building and Sydney, Nova Scotia – it’s just so special.”
Beyond the excitement of the championship, the 10-day event is believed to have generated significant economic benefits for the local community, underscoring Cape Breton’s prowess in hosting major events.