How do I register for the Silicon Valley Bonspiel (SVB)?
In order to secure your team’s spot, full payment is due upon registration. Visit the team registration page to process your payment. Once your payment is processed, you will receive a confirmation email from “Silicon Valley Curling Club” web@siliconvalleycurling.com. This email will contain your order number and a link to provide your team’s details. Once you have provided your team’s details, your registration is complete.
Can I register as an individual?
At the opening of our registration, we only accept full team registrations. Individual player and spare registrations may open later in the registration period as we get closer to filling all teams spots. If you are interested in being placed on a team as an individual, please contact us at bonspiel@silliconvalleycurling.com and we will try to connect you to a team that is looking for another member. You can also fill out our Individual Interest Form.
Can each member of my team pay separately?
Unfortunately, we are unable to split payment during registration. Full team payment is required to secure your spot.
Does a 5th member have an additional cost?
There is no additional registration fee for having a 5-member team. However, registration includes only 4 tickets for the Saturday dinner. An additional ticket can be purchased at the registration desk during the weekend for $25.
Some of my team’s details have changed. Can I still update the information that has been provided?
Yes! You should have a received a copy of your responses in an email that includes a link to “Edit Response”. You may update your team’s details until May 17th. If there are any changes that need to be made after that date, please contact us at bonspiel@siliconvalleycurling.com with your update requests. Please note that we cannot guarantee changes made after the deadline will be reflected in the bonspiel program or team placard.
How are the ice conditions?
We anticipate our bonspiel will be played on 5 sheets of well-groomed arena ice. Our ice crew plans to work closely with arena staff in the weeks leading up to the Bonspiel to ensure the best possible ice for the event. In addition, we will have access to the ice the day before our first draw on Friday to make sure the ice is in peak condition for our bonspiel.
What is the format of the Silicon Valley Bonspiel?
The Silicon Valley Bonspiel is an open format, 4-game guarantee. The event format (pool or bracket) will depend on how many teams are registered for the event.
Is the arena ADA accessible?
Yes! All areas of the arena (including Stanley’s Sports Bar) are ADA accessible.
What food & drink options are available at the arena?
Stanley’s Sports Bar is located at the arena and offers a variety of food and beverages. In addition to the offerings from Stanley’s, for the duration of the bonspiel, we will have snacks available and will be providing a Saturday night meal. If you have any specific needs regarding food (allergies, sensitivities, etc.), please let us know when you fill out your team’s registration details.
Will there be a raffle and/or silent auction and how can I donate?
Yes! There will be a raffle and silent auction. We will kindly accept your donated item(s) to be entered into the raffle. We will have extra baskets available so you won’t need to bring one, especially if you are coming from out of town. Please bring your item(s) to the check-in table before your first draw. If you would rather have your item(s) go towards the silent auction, please let us know when dropping it off (we will also need the approximate cost of the item).
When will the draw schedule be available?
We anticipate that the final draw schedule will be available in mid-May. The availability of the draw schedule may change depending on how quickly bonspiel registration fills since the draw schedule will shift to accommodate the number of registered teams.
Do I have to take off from work on Friday to participate in the bonspiel?
The Friday draw times will depend on the number of teams registered. All registered teams will be playing on Friday so it is likely that you will have to request a day off from work to participate if you are coming from out of town. If you are local, you may only need to request a half-day depending on your first draw time. Please use your judgment and make the appropriate plans with your employer so that you may participate fully in the bonspiel. If you are unable to curl in your first draw on Friday, but can make it for the rest of the bonspiel, consider adding a 5th player to your team (see Q1 above). You can also contact us and we can try to help find a spare or your team can curl with the 3 present members. Check our bonspiel page for the latest info about starting draw times.
When should I plan to get to town?
The first draws will be scheduled for Friday. Check-in will be available for all teams prior to the first draw. We suggest that you plan to fly in Thursday night as flights may not arrive early enough for you to fly Friday morning and make it in time for a morning draw if one is scheduled! Check our bonspiel page for the latest info about starting draw times.
Where is the closest airport?
The San Francisco Bay Area is serviced by 3 international airports (SJC, OAK, and SFO). The closest airport to the Silicon Valley Bonspiel is the San Jose International Airport (SJC). It takes approximately 20 minutes to drive from SJC to Solar4America Ice at Fremont where our bonspiel is held. A map of all airports in relation to the arena and information about the driving times from the other airports is available on our bonspiel page along with information about available rideshare services and public transportation from each.
How do I use the Alaska Airlines discount code?
To use the Discount Code, go online to alaskaair.com and input the discount code when searching for flights. The discount will be applied to any flights meeting the contract parameters. By clicking the “?” next to the discount code box after entering the code you may view a detailed description of the rules. The code can also be used by calling the Alaska Airlines Group Desk; however, a $15.00 per person service fee will apply.
Where should I stay if I’m coming from out of town?
For the most convenience getting to and from the bonspiel, plan to stay in or around Fremont, CA. The arena is located at 44388 Old Warm Springs Blvd. Fremont CA, 94538.
Please visit our bonspiel page to see our partner hotels that provide a block of rooms at a special rate for the weekend.
I have friends and/or family coming with me. Can they watch?
Yes! In fact, we encourage you to bring your friends and family to watch you and others curl the whole weekend. There are bleachers located next to the rink where they can sit and watch. They can even watch from a bench located right next to ice to really see the action up close! If they prefer to stay a bit warmer, they can watch all the action from Stanley’s Sports Bar.
Where can I go for sightseeing over the weekend when I’m not at the bonspiel?
There are many attractions in the San Francisco Bay Area that are easily accessible from the bonspiel. Here are a few suggestions and approximate drive times. Please be advised that traffic in the Bay Area can be congested during the weekend. Plan your trips with enough time to make it back to the arena in time for your draw!
California’s Great America (20 mins)
Winchester Mystery House (30 mins)
Apple Park Visitor Center (30 mins)
Google Android Lawn Statues (30 mins)
Levi Stadium (20 mins)
Stanford University (35 mins)
Oakland Coliseum (40 mins)
UC Berkeley (1 hr)
Golden Gate Bridge (1.5 hrs)
I want to share some of my pictures from the bonspiel. What hashtags can I use to tag them on social media?
We would love you to share your pictures from your experience at our bonspiel! Tag Silicon Valley Curling Club on Facebook, Instagram (@svcurling) and Twitter (@SVCurling). Use hashtag #SVB2023.