After a 10-year absence, the Canadian women's curling championship is returning to Regina.

The Saskatchewan capital, which last hosted the championship in 1998, was named the site of the 2008 Tournament of Hearts on Thursday.

Quebec City and Moncton were also bidding for the 2008 event.

Back in 1998, Sandra Schmirler and teammates Jan Betker, Joan McCusker and Marcia Gudereit returned from the Nagano Olympics as gold medal champions just in time to compete at the event as defending champion Team Canada.

The 1998 tournament was also the last time Schmirler, who died of cancer in 2000, competed at the national championship. Regina also hosted the first Tournament of Hearts in 1982.

"Certainly the building and the layout for this size of event is perfect," said Warren Hansen of the Canadian Curling Association. "There's no better building in the country."

"We understand the event in 1998 was a very unique set of circumstances, but it's still the biggest and most successful [Tournament of Hearts] that was ever held," Hansen said.

The 2007 Tournament of Hearts will be held in Lethbridge, Alta.

With files from the Canadian Press