Curling

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Jones knows easy wins may be few at worlds

By: On 2

Posted: 03/20/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

Jennifer Jones says she never seeks the high drama that often accompanies her wins, but wouldn’t trade her most thrilling moments for anything. ( JONATHAN HAYWARD / THE CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES)

GANGNEUNG, South Korea -- Jennifer Jones and her powerhouse Winnipeg curling team have won games in every manner imaginable.

And while she admits the stress level of her most recent Scotties Tournament of Hearts national championship was a little higher than she might have liked -- for the second straight year, Jones, third Cathy Overton-Clapham, second Jill Officer and lead Dawn Askin came through a playoff tiebreaker to win the final -- there's also something a little special about being pushed to the brink and then clawing your way back to safe terrain.

It worked that way when Jones made a last-gasp shot to score four in the 10th end and beat Jenn Hanna for her first Canadian championship, four years ago in St. John's, N.L.

Last year at the Scotties in Regina, Jones stole 10th-end points in the semifinal and final, and at last year's world women's championship in Vernon, B.C., she was down three with two ends to play in the semifinal against Japan before coming back for the win.

At the Scotties last month, Jones barely staved off defeat in both the tiebreaker and Page three vs. four playoff game to keep her hopes of a repeat alive.

And it might just work out that way again at the Mount Titlis world women's championship, which kicks off here on Saturday at the 3,500-seat Gangneung International Ice Rink.

"Sometimes, it would be nice (to have some easy wins)," admitted Jones, 34, with a laugh. "But really, honestly, it doesn't matter. And looking back at all the great moments in our curling history, I wouldn't trade that shot in 2005 for anything. That game against Japan was the most memorable game of my curling career -- why would I give that back? Sometimes it would be nice to go through (without a challenge).

"But if you look at last year, I think the most dramatic game we played was the semifinal against Japan. Nothing against the final, but we got a three early (against China's Bingyu Wang) and it's just a different game. I'll treasure the memory of that final, but the adrenalin rush you get in those close games is hard to beat."

It's no gimme that Jones will be declared the pre-event favourite, considering reigning Olympic and two-time world champ Anette Norberg will wear Swedish colours after missing last year in Vernon. Other traditional toughies include 2003 world champ and Vancouver Olympics-bound Deb McCormick of the U.S., Andrea Schoepp of Germany, Wang's well-respected Chinese outfit and Mirjam Ott of Switzerland, the 2006 Olympic silver medallist.

Also headed here is Scotland's Eve Muirhead, who claimed her third straight world junior women's title last weekend in Vancouver, and will be skipping her team with hopes of a Vancouver berth for the British team.

-- Canwest News Service

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 20, 2009 C2

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