All the hours of training and preparation will be put to the test this weekend, for the athletes from Four Corner Boxing competing at provincials. (Submitted photo/Four Corner Boxing/Photo-Jenn-ic)

By Martin Martinson

Headed to Regina

Four Corner Boxing sending seven to provincials

Feb 2, 2024 | 12:33 PM

Seven athletes from North Battleford’s Four Corner Boxing will take to the ring in the Queen City this weekend for boxing provincials on Saturday at Regina’s Lonsdale Boxing Club.

A milestone for the local Battlefords club, founder and coach of Four Corner Boxing, Dylin Curiston said this weekend will mark the most athletes competing on the provincial stage yet since he first established the gym in the community back in 2015.

“It’s the most we’ve ever had and it’s on par with the [number of] boxers coming from the bigger clubs in Regina, Moose Jaw, and Saskatoon,” Curiston said, adding, “We would have more going to provincials this year, but I’ve got three down with injuries and another couple that are not quite ready for the provincial level, but will be next year.”

The local athletes set to compete this weekend range in age from 10-to-17, including 17-year-old Daltan Gerstenhofer and 15-year-old Faizan Dar – with four and five years’ experience respectively – each eligible to advance to nationals with a provincials win.

Noah Barthel and Findley McNally, 10, will compete at the Jr. A, and Female Jr. A ranks; 14-year-old Marcus Bird and 12-year-old Evelyn Custer will compete in Jr. B and Female Jr. B; and Dar and fellow 15-year-old, Carsyn Priel will compete in Jr. C. Gerstenhofer will represent the club in the youth ranks.

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Curiston said the uptick in those from the club competing at provincials this year coincides with the continued growth of Four Corner’s competitive program.

“It’s fantastic. We’ve always been a part of provincials since we started back in 2015, but we’ve never had this amount of – particularly youth – competing through our club which is great,” Curiston said.

“We had five last year, four the year before that, and four in 2021 [attend provincials], so it’s kind of been a bit more every year with the average probably about four to five most years. Our competitive team [as a whole] is probably 16-17 people strong, and we’re just looking to keep building up these athletes and get them to a higher level of competition.”

Boxing for Broken Hearts

Following provincials this weekend, the Four Corner Boxing Club will also be holding a special ‘Boxing Charity Event’ later in the spring, known as Boxing for Broken Hearts.

Taking place at the Don Ross Centre on Apr. 20, the event will feature Olympic-style amateur boxing, with proceeds going towards Mending Little Hearts, an organization that raises money for the pediatric cardiology department at the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital.

It is a cause Curiston holds close to his heart, from his own experience.

“My son was born with congenital heart defects and he’s had multiple surgeries, and this organization helps buy equipment so you can take your kids home a little sooner, and monitor their oxygen levels, etc.,” Curiston said.

More on the upcoming Boxing for Broken Hearts fundraising event can be found here.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1