CEDAR RAPIDS — The USA Curling Arena National Championships are coming to the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena this weekend, thanks to the efforts of the Cedar Rapids Curling Club and president Lon Peper.

Peper, who moved to Cedar Rapids in 2012, has been a fanatic of curling for many years and, since curling was not very prominent here, he started the local club.

This is the first time the group has organized an event like this.

“We competed against cities in Texas and Massachusetts to bring this tournament to Iowa,” Pepper said. “They weighed out who is in the best position to hold the event. We had a very complete package.”

Opening ceremonies are Wednesday night and competition begins Thursday and runs through Sunday. Thirty-two teams will compete from across the country.

Mary Lee Malmberg, the Director of Sports Tourism for the Cedar Rapids Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the championships will put Cedar Rapids on the curling map.

“The curling club was very passionate and brought the idea to us,” Malmberg said. “It’s a great opportunity to showcase what we can do. The ice arena will be a great place for this event.”

Curling is played by sliding granite stones on ice toward a target called the house. Teams receive points by positioning their stones closer to the center of the house than the opposing team. Players sweep in front of the stone to increase the distance to the target or influence the stone’s path.

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Trained ice-makers have been preparing the arena ice in a precise manner, making sure the ice is level and textured correctly so stones can glide.

“There’s a lot of behind the scenes work,” Peper said. “It gives (the players) an opportunity to play on championship level ice. It does prepare you if you want to go on to the Olympics or World Championships.”

The club is hoping there will be more interest in curling after this event.

“We’re still at a point where so much of Cedar Rapids doesn’t know about us,” Peper said. “We’re looking to expand next year.”