By Dan Marshall

The weekend sports scene is jam packed for Nanaimo athletes

Mar 10, 2017 | 1:37 PM

NANAIMO — The referendum on the proposed events centre is obviously the biggest news and sports story in the city right now.

With so much focus on that it’s easy to forget what a massive local sports week this has been and will continue to be right through the weekend.

There’s national tournaments for VIU teams, junior hockey playoffs for both Nanaimo teams, provincials in highschool basketball, and a local curler is part of the wheelchair curling world championships.

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The VIU Mariners volleyball teams are both vying for national championships this week.

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On Friday the women play the Lakeland Rustlers at 6 p.m. and could very well end up in an all Vancouver Island final against tournament host Camosun on Saturday.

Halfway across the country in London, Ontario the VIU men go up against Red Deer College in a national semi final match at 3 p.m.

Camosun College is also in a men’s semi which could set up the possibility of a rematch of the BC PACWEST championship in a national final.

Eight badminton players from Vancouver Island University are in the CCAA badminton nationals in Toronto.

Headlining that group are 2016 CCAA national medalists Graydon Robb and Melissa Liew.

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On the international stage a world championship bid for Canada’s wheelchair curling team came up just short this week.

Alternate Ellis Tull comes out of the Nanaimo Curling Club and his team lost out on a semi final appearance with a 5-4 loss to Norway in a tie-breaking game on Thursday. 

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Still on the ice the Nanaimo Clippers are preparing for a must win game five against the Victoria Grizzlies Friday at 7 p.m.

They trail Victoria 3-1 in their best of seven series so they need to string a trio of wins together to advance to their third consecutive Island Division final.

The VIJHL’s Nanaimo Buccaneers are also in action Friday night at 7:30 p.m. in Campbell River.

The Bucs are embroiled in a tight playoff series that sees them down 2-0 to the Storm, but both games have been decided in overtime.

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High school teams from the around the province have descended on the Langley Events Centre this week for the BC Boys Basketball provincials.

After the first two days of competition Nanaimo District Secondary School and Wellington Secondary are 1-1.

Wellington battles Maple Ridge Friday at noon with NDSS taking on Duchess Park at 1:45 p.m.

dan.marshall@jpbg.ca

On twitter: @danmarshall77