Lawes crew needs win to wrap up top spot

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This article was published 12/03/2009 (6419 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

KAITLIN Lawes and her Team Canada partners are cruising along at the World Junior Curling Championships in Vancouver and with a win Thursday would secure first after round-robin play.

Lawes and third Jenna Loder, second Laryssa Glenkow and lead Breanne Meakin represented Manitoba at the nationals and after victory there became Team Canada for this event. They qualified for the playoffs with Wednesday morning’s 8-2 win over Switzerland.

Team Canada is now in a four-way tie for first with Switzerland, Scotland and Russia. But a win over Sweden on Thursday morning would give Canada claim to first place.

“That would put us right where we want to be,” said Lawes, a 20-year-old student at the University of Manitoba. “We’re curling well and having fun. This has been so great. We’re just having a lot of fun.”

Lawes finished third at the worlds last season and would like to improve on that result. “It was a good experience for us last year but we’re looking forward to these playoffs to see what we can come home with,” said Lawes.

Coach Rob Meakin says his team is hitting its stride at the right time.

“At any round robin there going to be bumps in the road and we got through that and have been curling better in each game as the week went on,” said Meakin. “I think we’re peaking at the right time and hopefully we can carry that into the weekend.”

Meakin said Lawes has the makeup to succeed at this level.

“Technically she’s a very strong thrower of the stone. She has good control of her draw weight and that’s what you need,” said Meakin. “She calls a good game. She’s got the package. You have to have it all if you’re going to throw last rock at this level.”

gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca