Cool off, curling fans. Tradition replaces sex appeal in 2015 fundraising calendar

So long, sexy stone throwers. Hello, tradition.

Gone - for now at least - are the "Women of Curling" and "Men of Curling." In 2015, the "Spirit of Curling" calendar will feature images of traditional curling scenes, instead of scantily clad athletes.

Despite the vast successes of previous calendars - ones that featured female curlers in glamorous and in some cases provocative poses, as well as this year's men's edition (same style) - the 2015 version of the popular fundraising calendar is going in another direction entirely.

There are a number of reasons for that, although the Canadian Curling Association's admitted reluctance to take part in a fundraiser that's just a bit to risqué for its liking isn't necessarily the driving force. However, the CCA is, indeed, involved in this season's calendar; one that is much different than its predecessors.

The style of the calendar has changed, although its reason for existing has not; to raise money for charity.

But you won't be seeing shots like this one of Alberta skip Chelsea Carey, from the 2012 calendar:

Or this shot of Team Koe lead Ben Hebert, from the Men of Curling calendar:

Instead, the 2015 Spirit of Curling Calendar features shots of outdoor curling, wheelchair curling, people behind the scenes of the sport, as well as fans. The cover features a scene from the Italian Alps. One similarity: There are some big name curlers in some of the pictures.

"We have become involved with the Spirit of Curling Calendar as we believe it is a calendar that appeals to a broad spectrum of curling fans and showcases the sport and some of its traditions," wrote CCA President Greg Stremlaw, in an e-mail.

Involvement with the group that has produced this calendar, as well as the previous ones, hasn't always been so.

“They told us (at the time) they just don’t feel it’s the place of the national curling federation to be involved in a project like this (the men and women of curling), said George Karrys, co-manager of the calendar project, adding that he's happy to be partnered with the CCA this time around.

It's not a partnership that would have come to fruition had Karrys and his co-manager on the project, Rick Warner of The Community Fundraiser, chosen to stay with the formula that had worked well for them before.

"I can confirm that the CCA would not have been a part of the calendar under such a format," wrote Stremlaw. When asked if the CCA frowned on those projects, he replied: "I am not sure it is the CCA’s position to judge, except to say we have not been involved previously in concepts that involve certain aspects which we do not feel fit with our organization."

Not that Karrys, publisher of The Curling News, was ever deterred. Nor, he says, was he ever explicitly told to back away from the 'men of' and 'women of' concepts.

Karrys says those calendars were wildly successful. He says the 2014 'men of' calendar sold out its first printing of 4,000 copies, leading to a second and then third printing, with a total of 9,300 sold, raising in the neighbourhood of $100,000.00

With such success, why a change in direction, if not due to pressure from the CCA?

“I talked to some of the male athletes and we all agreed that it wasn’t really sustainable to do this every year," said Karrys, who says he found a challenge had emerged on the women's side, after three calendars.

“I found that it was getting a little more difficult to recruit athlete models to take part in the 'women of curling' calendar," he said. The more we did it, it was getting a little difficult to attract people to do this. They loved the charity angle of it, but we were starting to run into some no’s.”

It doesn't mean you won't again see these calendars in the future. In fact, you can be pretty sure you will.

“Something like the ‘men of curling’ and the ‘women of curling’ is now really best reserved for an Olympic season," said Karrys, dropping the hint that photos hot enough to ruin the pebble could be back for the 2018 calendar. Until then, he's happy to forge ahead with the CCA.

“Absolutely," he said. "They’re a charitable partner. They’re doing something that I think is long overdue in the sport of curling and that is raising money for themselves to support the sport. Curlers are so fantastic at raising money for third party charities. I think we forget to take care of ourselves.”

The CCA is like-minded.

("We) see this as an appropriate manner to engage curling enthusiasts whilst raising funds for Canada’s only national charity dedicated to supporting curling – that being For the Love of Curling philanthropic program," wrote Stemlaw. "It is a wonderful cause and way to support the sport."

“It’s a fundraiser for curling clubs,” Karrys explains. "We have got massive infrastructure problems in this country with our curling facilities. Electrical bills are through the roof, things are falling apart.”

An original print run of 4,000 Spirit of Curling calendars is now for sale, at a cost of $20.00 each. You can get more information here.