Team overhaul has Swedes on upswing

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This article was published 17/11/2016 (3490 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MORRIS — Margaretha Sigfridsson is accustomed to life at the top of the curling world.

The veteran Swedish skip was a silver medallist at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, but a ninth-place finish at the women’s world championship in Swift Current, Sask., last spring prompted a lineup overhaul. Vice-skip Maria Prytz was out, and Cissi Ostlund was in as Sigfridsson tweaked her lineup.

“We’ve obviously done some changes — hopefully for the good — but sometimes it takes a while to get the best results from a new team,” said Sigfridsson prior to a practice session at the ninth annual Dekalb Superspiel at the Morris MultiPlex Thursday afternoon.

“I think we’ve had a decent fall and try to move on from there. We want to play the worlds, of course, and get a very good result there — that’s the main goal.”

The Dekalb Superspiel, this week’s stop on the World Curling Tour, is a place where Sigfridsson, Ostlund and teammates Christina Bertrup and Maria Wennerstroem can start their climb to the worlds.

Top Swedish rival Anna Hasselborg is seventh in the WCT women’s standings — 11 spots above Sigfridsson — and earned a berth as Sweden’s representative at the European championships as a result.

But there’s still time for Sigfridsson — the Swedish representative is chosen in February — to earn a trip to the worlds. 

Ostlund comes with a solid curling pedigree. She skipped the Swedish team at the 2010 worlds, losing the bronze-medal game to Winnipeg’s Jennifer Jones.

 “My team kind of split up,” explained Ostlund.

“One of the girls decided she didn’t want to play anymore, and another one was pregnant. So when I got the call from these girls, I didn’t really hesitate. I needed to take the chance because they’re a great team. It was a good opportunity for me.”

Their team structure is a little unconventional — Sigfridsson is the skip but throws lead rocks, while Ostlund throws skip rocks. 

“It works OK for us,” said Ostlund. “When I played with (two-time Olympic champion) Anette (Norberg) I was the sweeper, and I played third, so I’m used to sweep-and-play. I enjoy sweeping and I enjoy playing last rock, so it works out fine for me.”

Thirty-two men’s teams and 24 women’s teams begin play this morning at 9 a.m. with action continuing until the men’s and women’s finals Monday at 4 p.m.

Jones is the defending Dekalb women’s champ.

Mike McEwen and defending champ Reid Carruthers are on the men’s draw.

If Sigfridsson and Jones win their opening two games, the Sochi Olympic finalists could set the stage for a marquee matchup Saturday at 6 p.m.

“For us it’s just another game,” said Ostlund.

“When we come here, we always play great teams. I mean, Jennifer is a top-level team, but for us it’s just another game.”

It’s all about the ice

Curl Manitoba’s icemaker Greg Ewasko had a changeup thrown his way this week. 

Rosenort and Morris were supposed to share hosting duties for the Dekalb Superspiel, but ice-plant problems in Rosenort forced organizers to move all action to the Morris Curling Club and Arena, which are both housed under the same roof at the Morris MultiPlex.

And the arena ice, Ewasko said, will be between one second and 1½ seconds faster and generally has more curl than what curling club ice would.

“The more elite curlers will be the ones who are going to be whining, complaining that they have to go over to the curling club because they play at an arena event every second weekend,” said a smiling Ewasko.

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14