BURSTIf you’re looking for fast-paced action on ice and some of the best homemade food in town, the Trail Curling Club is the place to be this weekend as Trail and Rossland host the 2026 BC Winter Games.
By Friday morning, the rink was packed with spectators watching teen curlers put on an impressive show.
There was plenty of cheering echoing through the building as young athletes swept hard, called shots and battled for every point.
But the action isn’t limited to the ice.
Sisters and Games volunteers Pat McLachlan and Barbra Hesson are putting their own talents to work in the curling club kitchen.
While the athletes compete with rocks and brooms, the sisters are busy behind the counter serving up homemade comfort food.
Their famous carrot cake, usually reserved for special orders, is available all weekend.
It’s just one of the highlights on a menu packed with hearty options for athletes and spectators alike.
Breakfast sandwiches, deluxe hamburgers, borscht, chicken vegetable soup and plenty of fresh baking are all made from scratch.
“Everything is homemade, so come on down,” the sisters said with big smiles.
On the ice, curling continues today, Feb. 27, until 4 p.m.
Competition resumes Saturday, Feb. 28, beginning with pre-game practice at 8:30 a.m.
Semi-finals get underway at 1 p.m., followed by the finals from 6:10 p.m. to 8:50 p.m.
Medal presentations will take place from 8:50 p.m. to 9:15 p.m.
The curling competition is just one part of a much larger celebration of sport across the region.
More than 1,500 of British Columbia’s top young athletes, along with their coaches and officials, have gathered in the West Kootenay for the Trail-Rossland 2026 BC Winter Games, running from Feb. 25 to March 1.
A total of 974 athletes are competing in 15 sports, representing 131 communities across the province.
Events include alpine skiing, archery, artistic gymnastics, badminton, biathlon, cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating, freestyle skiing, judo, karate, ringette, rhythmic gymnastics, speed skating, Special Olympics speed skating and wheelchair basketball.
Athletes represent eight geographic zones: Kootenays (Zone 1), Thompson-Okanagan (Zone 2), Fraser Valley (Zone 3), Fraser River (Zone 4), Vancouver-Coastal (Zone 5), Vancouver Island-Central Coast (Zone 6), North West (Zone 7) and Cariboo-North East (Zone 8).
Behind the scenes, more than 1,450 local volunteers, along with hundreds of coaches and officials, are helping make the Games happen.
From early morning practices to late-night finals, and from hot soup to homemade carrot cake, the curling rink is a perfect snapshot of what the Winter Games are all about: competition, community and a whole lot of local hospitality.