The historic end was scored by a Wine Country Curling Club league team consisting of Anne Bonache (East Sacramento), Melissa Latham (Roseville), Dan Stefani (Sacramento/Rosemont) and Danny Padilla (Sacramento). Photo courtesy of Wine Country Curling League

ROSEVILLE, CA (MPG) - Something extraordinary happened on the ice at Skatetown Ice in Roseville this week. During a regular league game at the Wine Country Curling Club, one team achieved one of the rarest feats in the sport of curling: an eight-ender.

An eight-ender occurs when a team scores all eight possible points in a single end. In curling, that’s the equivalent of a perfect game in baseball, a hole-in-one in golf, a 300 game in bowling, or a 9-dart finish in darts. It is so rare that even curling statisticians struggle to estimate the odds.

This is Wine Country Curling Club’s third eight-ender recorded at Skatetown Ice.

The historic end was scored by a Wine Country Curling Club league team consisting of Anne Bonache (East Sacramento), Melissa Latham (Roseville), Dan Stefani (Sacramento/Rosemont) and Danny Padilla (Sacramento).

For one member of the team, the moment had an extra layer of satisfaction.

“I've had an eight scored against me, and now I've been on a team to score eight,” said Dan Stefani. “Eight for my team definitely feels better!”

Eight-enders are recognized internationally as one of the sport’s most remarkable achievements. In fact, there has never been an eight-ender scored in Olympic curling competition, underscoring just how unusual the accomplishment is. 

The timing is particularly exciting for the sport as curling continues to experience an Olympic boom in popularity. Interest in curling surges every four years as fans watch the sport during the Winter Olympics, and many are discovering local clubs like Wine Country Curling Club for the first time.

Wine Country Curling Club, based in Roseville, is dedicated to promoting the Olympic sport of curling throughout Northern California. The volunteer-run nonprofit hosts learn-to-curl classes and recreational leagues at Skatetown Ice, giving new players a chance to try the sport they see on television during the Winter Games.

Founded in 2007, the club now has over 120 members and regularly hosts tournaments like the Crush and the Barrel. (The Barrel is next weekend, March 13-15, at Skatetown Ice.) 

Events like this eight-ender serve as a reminder that even during a friendly league night, curling can produce moments worthy of the world stage.

Anyone interested in trying curling is encouraged to attend one of the club’s upcoming Learn-to-Curl classes, where beginners can learn the basics of the sport in a fun and welcoming environment. Reserve a spot at winecountrycurlingclub.com.