TORONTO –  An outstanding first-year total of more than $65,000 was raised for the SickKids Foundation as the final event of the 2010 Olympic curling season came to a close.

24 celebrity curling skips joined 72 other curlers/fundraisers and, together with a fine collection of event sponsors, brought success to the inaugural the Capital One Celebrity Bonspiel in support of SickKids Foundation.

“We are delighted with the response from the participants and our sponsors,” said event co-chair Jeff Steski. “We were also pleased to announce the return of the event next year, on June 3-4, 2011.”

Capital One marketing boss Ian Cunningham confirmed his company’s continued support next season.

“We’ve been involved in the sport for three full years now,” said Cunningham. “And one thing that continues to impress us is the people.

“Curlers and curling fans are fantastic, they love to give their time and effort for great causes and we love to work with them.”

What turned into a multi-sport weekend in T.O. finally ended when Laura Crocker (Ottawa) and her new teammates upended Quebec City’s Brenda Nicholls to capture the title. The second event went to the Glenn Howard (Coldwater, ON) foursome while Geri-Lynn Ramsay (Charlottetown, PEI) and friends earned third event honours.

In the Odyssey White Ice Challenge, event qualifiers attempted to putt a golf ball down a sheet of ice into a carved-out button. 2006 Olympic champion Brad Gushue (St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador) came closest, stopping the ball directly on the tee line… albeit in the 12-foot rings.

In addition to major sponsors Capital One, The Dominion and Callaway Golf, the event was supported by Campbell’s, iShares, Mackenzie Investments, Bruno’s Fine Foods, DELSO Group of Companies and Paulin, plus a host of team sponsors including The Curling News.

As U.K. Olympic ice queen Eve Muirhead declared, “It’s for the kids!”

And it certainly was.