Lotts primed to bring home Canada’s first world mixed doubles curling crown

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This article was published 16/04/2024 (565 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Kadriana Lott begins to tear up when reflecting on what it means to represent Gimli on the world stage.

She’s currently in Östersund, Sweden, with husband Colton Lott as they’re preparing to wear the maple leaf at the world mixed doubles curling championship (April 20-27).

The Lotts, who got married in 2022 and throw stones out of the Winnipeg Beach Curling Club, earned the trip overseas by winning last month’s Canadian final 7-5 over world No. 1 Laura Walker/Kirk Muyres in Fredericton, N.B.

“It’s been overwhelming. It’s just funny, I work in our hometown optometry office, and you get older people (coming and saying) ‘Where have I seen you before? You look so familiar. Oh, you’re the curler!’ And just so many congratulations. It’s been so good,” said Kadriana, 24.

“My work family are wonderful supporters, we got signs everywhere. I’m getting emotional again, but it’s been so cool. From Winnipeg Beach to Gimli, we’ve been overwhelmed by family, friends, fans. You still get people wishing you luck every day on Instagram and it’s been so good.”

The Lotts established themselves as one of the best tandems in the country quite some time ago as they had lost two national finals — one to Walker/Muyres in 2018 and another to Kerri Einarson/Brad Gushue in 2021 — before coming out on top this time.

Wearing a Canadian jacket is what every curler dreams of, but to do so alongside your spouse makes it that much more meaningful.

“It’s just one of those very special things that not many couples get to (do). Having that time to reflect on it, it’s truly a special moment and being here with my wife, there’s no place I’d rather be,” said 28-year-old Colton.

“I find it almost maybe a little more relaxing in a way because you’re (playing) with your significant other and for myself, I can be more myself out there where sometimes I gotta put the brakes on that from time to time if I get a little too caught up in the game.”

It’s not their first time in Sweden as they were Canada’s duo in the third leg of the 2018-19 Curling World Cup where they beat Norway’s Kristin Skaslien and Thomas Ulsrud in the final.

National team coach Scott Pfeifer was on that trip, and he isn’t surprised to see the young couple back in Europe with him again by going a perfect 10-0 in Fredericton to outlast the 32-team competition.

Colton plays second for Matt Dunstone and finished his men’s season last week in Toronto at the final Grand Slam event. Kadriana tossed lead stones for Rachel Kaatz this season and kept busy this month by skipping a team at the women’s curling club provincials in Gimli.

“I think it was a couple draws into the national championship and someone from Curling Canada texted me ‘How’s the event going?’ And I responded back saying ‘We’re only four draws in but Team Lott/Lott is looking very impressive,’ They were the class of the field,” said Pfeifer.

“The experience from 2019, I was amazed at how much composure they had under pressure at that time. I think Kadriana was only 19 and never really been overseas at that point and they ended up winning that event… (And I remember) thinking to myself ‘How has Colton Lott not been picked up by one of the top teams in the world?’ just because of the shots I saw him making out there by himself sweeping his own rocks.

“We’ve got a really good history here; they’ve been on an amazing roll and they’re just two consumate professionals that I enjoy every minute with.”

The 20-team event is split into two pools with the top three from each side advancing to the playoffs. Team Lott opens Saturday against New Zealand’s Courtney Smith/Anton Hood.

The 2023 champs — Americans Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin — didn’t qualify for this week after losing their national championship game to siblings Matt and Becca Hamilton.

“We’re confident we can make some good things happen,” said Kadriana.

Jennifer Jones and Brent Laing wore the red and white last year in South Korea and lost the bronze-medal match to Norway.

The world mixed doubles championship began in 2008 and Canada is still searching for a gold medal.

“That is the ultimate goal. It’d be just a wonderful achievement, especially doing it with my wife. It would emotions that I wouldn’t even be able to describe to be honest, especially for how much work we put into this game,” said Colton. “This week, we’ll do what we know how to do best and leave it all out there.”

The world mixed doubles aren’t televised but can be watched online at www.curlingchannel.tv.

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

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