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January 6, 2027Event date:
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January 11, 2027Event end:
The event and what is at stake
The NWT Masters Territorial Championship is the Northwest Territories’ title event for masters-age curlers. It is run by the NWT Curling Association and is set for January 6–11, 2027 in Hay River. The Masters has a history in the town: the NWTCA Masters was played February 10–12, 2023 in Hay River. The prize on offer is the territorial Masters title. Any national or international berth, and any prize money, has not been announced. Those details will be published once the association confirms them.
Format and field
The number of teams, the playing format and the entry list have not been announced yet. The association handles entries through its online registration system, where teams must pay their fees before the deadline. Entry fees for the 2024/25 Masters had to be paid before the registration deadline. The 2027 field and the defending champions will be confirmed once entries close.
The Masters draws from the same small curling community as the territory’s other championships. The 2023 Masters, for example, included a game between Hay River’s Dallas Weaver and Yellowknife’s Ed Sattelberger. Those events are usually small. The 2025 men’s championship had only three teams and used a double round robin with a three-team playoff. The 2027 Masters could also be compact, but the entry list will decide that.
Host city and venue
Hay River has been a regular host of NWT championships. The 2025 men’s championship was played at the Hay River Curling Club, and the 2024 women’s championship was held there too. The town also hosted territorial men’s and women’s titles in 2020 and 2016. The host club and sheet details for the Masters will be confirmed by the association. Seating capacity has not been published.
For travelling curlers and fans, Hay River is a small, practical base. It sits on the south shore of Great Slave Lake at the mouth of the Hay River, about 200 air kilometres southwest of Yellowknife. The 2021 census counted 3,169 residents. It is called the “Hub of the North” and is linked by highway to Grimshaw, Alberta. There are hotels and B&Bs in the community. The Hay River/Merlyn Carter Airport sits between the town’s two sections. January is cold: the daily mean temperature in Hay River’s January is around −23°C. Visitors should pack accordingly.
Tickets
No ticketing information has been announced. Territorial championships of this kind are normally played at the local curling club, and spectators are generally welcome to watch. Whether the Masters will charge admission, offer any packages or sell tickets in advance will be confirmed by the association closer to the event.