Einarson and crew get a shot at Worlds

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/03/2021 (1982 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Kerri Einarson’s team demonstrated patience, persistence and resilience — along with a pattern of rock-solid performances — and will be justly rewarded.

The powerhouse Gimli crew will finally challenge for a world women’s curling championship, a much-deserved opportunity for the reigning two-time Scotties Tournament of Hearts champion.

The 33-year-old skip, third Val Sweeting, second Shannon Birchard and lead Briane Meilleur will join 13 international squads inside the Calgary bubble, April 30 to May 9, at spectator-free WinSport Arena at Canada Olympic Park.

“I feel absolutely amazing. I’ve heard rumours about this, I just didn’t want to get my hopes up. To finally get the confirmation that it’s a go-ahead, it feels so unbelievable,” Einarson said Friday, as team members met with media on a Zoom call.

Einarson’s bid for a 2020 world crown was dashed when the event in Prince George, B.C., was scrapped just days before the start, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Doubling down on the team’s misfortune, the World Curling Federation cancelled the ’21 world championship, set for Switzerland, just two weeks before the Manitobans began defence of their Scotties crown as Team Canada.

Playing with the Maple Leaf on their backs, Einarson’s team prevailed last Sunday night with a 9-7 triumph in 10 ends over Ontario’s Rachel Homan — still with just a glimmer of hope a resurrection of the world championship would occur. 

But she never doubted a second chance was possible.

“It didn’t cross my mind that we wouldn’t be able to do this again. We put a lot of hard work in our off-season, and it didn’t look the same as previous years but definitely got us ready for what we needed to do (at the Scotties last week),” Einarson said.

“Thanks to (coach) Heather (Nedohin) for pushing us and getting us game ready, just watching those game tapes and getting our minds ready for curling mode.”

The team will once again enlist the aid of fifth player Krysten Karwacki and coach Heather Nedohin for the world playdown.

Joining Canada in the field will be the United States, Scotland, Switzerland, Sweden, Italy, Estonia, Germany, the Czech Republic, Denmark, China, Japan, South Korea and Russia.

Sweeting said losing out on the worlds a year ago was crushing, particularly when the team was already hunkered down in the B.C. interior.

“It was challenging, for sure, being sent home,” said the St. Paul, Alta., resident. “We didn’t just the world championship, we lost out on the entre next season as Team Canada and you normally get to enjoy some perks. So, it was challenging to be told there won’t be a worlds, you’re going to have to win again… and there’s going to be more teams in the (Scotties) field, the strongest field yet.

“The fact we now get to play in the worlds, I don’t think you could have written it up any better. So, we’re super excited and honoured for that opportunity.”

Meilleur said the team — beginning as a rare union of four skips three years ago — has a way of overcoming adversity.

“We’ve had a lot of challenges put our way. I like our team has not let it get us down,” she said. “Now, we’re in a position we wanted to be in and we get to play in these worlds… all that hard work and crap we had to go through before all seems worth it.”

Birchard filled in for Kaitlyn Lawes on the Jennifer Jones team in 2018, capturing a national title and then returned as fifth player at the world championship in North Bay, Ont.

“This is my first opportunity to play in a full world championship,” she noted. “I got a really great taste with the Jones team and was so grateful, and I hope to carry some of that experience into the bubble in May. It’s wonderful to get this second chance after last year. We’re ready to give it our all and show the world our stuff.”

The women’s world championship will be the last of seven events staged in a protective environment in the Alberta hub city. The run began with the Scotties, followed by the Brier men’s championship, set to begin tonight. The Canadian mixed doubles and world men’s championships follow, while a pair of Grand Slam of Curling tour events immediately precede the world women’s championship.

Team Canada will face a few of its world-championship rivals in the Slams in April.

“They’ll get that bubble experience at the same time, but it will be nice for us to get some games against those teams prior to the worlds starting up,” said Birchard.

Canada has won a leading 17 women’s world titles since 1979, while Sweden is next at eight.

The WCF had initially stated moving the championship into the Calgary bubble wouldn’t work because of timing and logistics. However, Curling Canada CEO Katherine Henderson said things fell into place in a hurry, particularly once it was demonstrated the Scotties could be staged safely.

The event will also determine most of the countries that will compete at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, as the top six will qualify.

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPJasonBell