5 & Under Cashspiel 2023

Windy City Curling is thrilled to announce a ONE-OF-A-KIND cash spiel, welcoming ALL curlers who have less than five years of experience (not including COVID year): YES, it is a Cash Spiel! $$$

FORMAT: Open (any mix of genders); all players MUST have begun curling no earlier than 2018-2019 season.

GAMEPLAY:
Initial seeding format of four (4), six-end games to determine Championship seeding of eight (8) teams. Ties after six ends OR expiration of allotted time will be broken with a warm draw. 

First Draws: Thursday Afternoon & Evening, Friday morning & early afternoon (VERY limited)
NOTE: Six spots are available for teams who wish to have their first draw Friday morning/afternoon (dependent on the final number of teams). We expect these slots will be highly desired. To help offset event costs and more fairly decide who should get the limited Friday first draws, we will be auctioning the slots. Bidding will be done online and announced at a later date. 

Championship Round: Top Eight teams seeded into Championship Round by Win/Loss record, then head-to-head record (if it exists), then team modified draw shot challenge score. Cash prizes for all eight advancing teams. Championship games will be eight (8) ends. Ties of any Championship Bracket game will be broken by an extra end.

AWARDS: Pins and cash prizes for the top eight (8) teams. Cash awards to be determined based on registration revenue; however, teams should expect a total prize pool of approximately $6,000! 

We expect the Top Eight teams to at least win their registration fee back!

COST: $480 for a 4-person team (+ 3.25% online processing fee). Teams are welcome to register a Fifth player for a $20 fee (total team cost of $500). 

WHAT'S INCLUDED: Your registration includes a 4-game guarantee (six-end games), free alcoholic beverages and dinner on Saturday with live entertainment, raffles, various prizes, snacks & appetizers throughout the weekend and, of course, the hospitality Windy City Curling is known for.  

Everyone wins regardless of how they perform on the ice!

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS: We are excited to announce a partnership with the Hyatt Place Chicago / Lombard / Oakbrook Hotel for an inclusive block rate of $99.00+ a night for single King or Double rooms! 

Please reserve your rooms via the link below. When selecting your dates, the group rate code will apply automatically: http://hyattplacelombard.com/en/hotel/home.html?corp_id=G-CC23

FAQ:

How much money can we win?
This is of course what everyone wants to know, and… It depends! The final prize pool will be based upon registration and other factors; however, we hope to have a total prize pool of at least $6,000!

Will this event be a qualifier for USA Curling's 2024 5 & Under Nationals?
We hope so! We have been in extensive contact with USA Curling, submitted our application to have the first and only qualifier event that is ALSO a cash prize bonspiel, and are anxiously awaiting a decision in August after the application deadline! 

Why would we need a 5th player?
Who else is going to DD? But really, it isn’t required by any means. We simply want to give teams the option to limit exhaustion and provide an opportunity for a relief sub. All teams are guaranteed to play four 6-end games over two-to-three days depending on when your first draw is. After that, the top eight teams will advance and play three 8-end games for the championship. 

How will you make sure all participants are under 5 years of experience? 
By registering, teams agree all of their team members have 5 years or less of experience. 

In order to keep everything fair, if a team is found to have a team member who is not compliant, the organizing committee will take action. This may include possible forfeiture of draws or withdrawal from the event. We will make every effort to verify with home clubs that participants are compliant as well as, if necessary, receiving confirmation from their NGB. 

Are there going to be draws on Thursday?
Yes! The Spiel starts on Thursday. We're hoping to have 24-28 teams, which should fill draws starting Thursday afternoon. Teams should expect to play their first draw Thursday afternoon/evening, but there is some availability for premium slots on Friday as well (see above).

Will there be a trained official on hand?
Probably, yes. However we truly believe it will not be necessary. Current club rules will apply and teams should be guided by the Spirit of Curling. Any disputes should be directed to a volunteer and/or official and a decision will be made. All decisions are Final.

Can Windy City (home club) teams sign-up?
Yes! We will accept four Windy City teams, initially. A Windy City team is considered to be any team with three or more Windy City Curling members. Additional Windy City teams will be waitlisted until July 15, 2023; after which time teams will be moved from the wait-list on a first-come, first-serve basis.

What live entertainment will there be?
We are THRILLED to announce that comedian Amy Silverberg, fresh off of features on Comedy Central, Amazon Prime, and Hulu will be joining us Saturday night for a comedy show! 

Are you accepting sponsorships?
Yes! If you are participating, or if you are not, we are seeking sponsorships with interested businesses or individuals. We are offering multiple tiers of sponsorship for all budgets, and each tier has its own incentives, including custom jerseys, corporate or private learn-to-curl packages, lapel pins and merchandise! Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.  

PLEASE CONTACT US VIA EMAIL WITH ANY OTHER QUESTIONS: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..