It’s been over a year in the making, and on Thursday night curlers from all over Saskatchewan got a taste of tournament action at the Prince Albert Golf and Curling Club.

Among those competing was PA’s own Brad Bibby. His rink fell 7-3 in their opening match, and for him, it took a bit of getting used to stepping onto the pebbled ice again.

“It was a challenge getting back on the ice having not played in almost a year,” Bibby said. “It was tough, but we played pretty well.”

Playing on a stage as big as the provincial championship can be stressful enough for these competitors, but Bibby said he didn’t let the big stage impact his game.

“There wasn’t much pressure at all coming in,” he said. “We’re not necessarily the favorites to win, but we are here to win, and we’re here for a good time, and no, we didn’t feel any pressure tonight.”

The mixed tournament saw Bibby and his wife Patricia, paired up with Kara and Steven Thevenot, who they have known and played with for a couple of years. Bibby said the chemistry was nice to have playing alongside two friends.

“We’ve played bonspiels before with them in Birch Hills and Shellbrook, and we always have a good time. We’re good friends with them so it’s always fun.”

The overall playing conditions for Bibby, as well as the rest of the teams were a challenge to adapt to in the early goings, with the ice being the main concern.

“The ice was pretty tricky, there were a lot of straight spots. There wasn’t as much curl as we were hoping. It definitely dictated the game, so we had to play a little quieter, and there weren’t as many draws because the rocks weren’t curling as much.”

Bibby’s squad will get set for a Friday morning game, and even with the ice playing how it is, there won’t be much of a change of plan for their team.

“I don’t think there will be a change in our strategy very much,” he said. “I think we are going to be as aggressive as we can, but at the same time being cautious because we don’t want to give up a big end.”

They will play against Pat Daley of Christopher Lake and his team at 10am Friday morning.

Meanwhile another local team hit the pebbled ice for the late game on Thursday night. Prince Albert’s Jordan Henry and Matt Mann played in the nightcap game against a team led by Dean Grindheim of Martensville. Grindheim’s team was victorious, winning by a 9-6 score. Henry’s team will play on Friday at 1:30.