Some of New Brunswick’s top curlers will be competing in Saint John this weekend.

Twelve teams will compete in the 2023 New Brunswick Mixed Doubles Curling Championship.

“It’s new, it’s fast, it’s athletic, and it combines the sexes,” event chair Charlene Copeland said in a news release.

Curling mixed doubles were first introduced to the Olympic program in 2018 and have been growing in popularity ever since.

Officials say while the two-player game in Canada still pales in comparison to the traditional four-player game, the addition is fueling growth for the sport overall.

Action at the Thistle-St. Andrew’s Curling Club begins on Friday and continues through Sunday afternoon.

There are two teams from the host club, five from Curl Moncton, three from the Capital Winter Club in Fredericton, and one from the Sackville Curling Club and the Woodstock Curling Club.

The winners of this weekend’s tournament will represent New Brunswick at the national championship in March, which is taking place in Sudbury, Ont.