Curlers welcome return fans

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 19/11/2021 (1617 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

SASKATOON — Curlers who had the air sucked out of them inside the Calgary bubble expect to get a mighty boost from near-normal conditions at the Canadian Olympic Trials.

Sure, there’s still the testing, mask-wearing and social distancing which have become ways of life for these athletes, all to ensure a safe environment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

But thousands of spectators will join them at SaskTel Centre, a novelty for teams that competed in front of nothing but empty seats last spring at Markin MacPhail Centre in Calgary. It hosted the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, Brier, world men’s and women’s championships and Canadian mixed doubles championship for the interrupted 2020-21 season, plus a pair of Grand Slam of Curling tour events.

The home of the city’s beloved junior squad, the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League, has a capacity of 15,000, although most of the marquee Trials draws, such as Saturday’s opener 2 p.m., are expected to attract 5,000 to 6,000 people.

To a player, most said playing in the eerily quiet Calgary arena was unsettling.

“It was weird to make a big shot and then it’d be crickets. There were times it was so quiet we could hear the toilets flush upstairs,” said Kate Cameron following Friday’s practice session. She’s lives in New Bothwell, Man., but tosses third stones for Alberta’s Laura Walker. “It took away a key aspect of having that crowd behind you, hearing that roar when you make a good shot. I’ve played in some pretty full arenas and it’s so fun to have that crowd engagement. It definitely gets you fired up.”

Here competitors have been reminded to act responsibly but won’t be restricted to their hotels rooms between draws, meaning they can dine together or go shopping, as long as they adhere to Saskatchewan’s public health orders.

Colin Hodgson, the personable lead on Mike McEwen’s crew from West St. Paul, said he draws plenty of positive vibes from interacting with other players, spectators and volunteers, and he’s eager to get this thing started.

“Honestly, the bubble setting was completely miserable. It was not any sort of fun,” said Hodgson, who spoke after the team’s practise session. He spent nearly two weeks inside the bubble for the Brier in mid-March but chose not rejoin his teammates for the two Slams — the Champions Cup and the Players’ Championship.

“The best part of curling for me is to interact with people, so to have them here, to have that connection, is going to make this so much better for all of us,” he added. “It’s going to be amazing to be here in this building. Saskatchewan curling fans are the absolute bomb, everybody knows that.”

Hodgson’s stay in the bubble was relatively brief compared to others, such as Brendan Bottcher who spent about a month curling, eating room service and taking short walks in the hotel parking lot.

It wasn’t all bad — not by a longshot — for the Alberta skip who captured his first Brier title. He stuck around for the mixed-doubles nationals and then played in the world men’s championship, falling short of a playoff spot. His crew later re-entered the bubble for the Slams.

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

The Warm-Up

Winnipeg Jets Game Days

On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.

Sign up for The Warm-Up

Sign Up

I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

“We were so fortunate to be able to compete (in the bubble) but I felt like we did miss something by not having our friends and family and our sponsors there,” Bottcher said. “Calgary would have been a home-town Brier for us and that would have been just outstanding. Luckily, Saskatoon’s close enough that a lot of those same people are able to make the trek out and it’s going to be great having them in the stands this week.”

The combined men’s and women’s Trials — to determine Canada’s representatives for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing — marks the first major fan-friendly event since the 2020 Brier in Kingston, Ont. Nearly 6,700 people jammed into Leon’s Centre to watch as Brad Gushue of St. John’s, N.L. defeated Bottcher in the final.

Nolan Thiessen of Curling Canada said that’s the vibe that’s been missing, noting the hub in Calgary, indeed, served its purpose but it’s time to get back to regularly scheduled programming.

“Last year, that was the only thing we could safely do. But it’s cool to get back to having fans in the building. It’s exciting,” said the former Winnipegger. “I know we’re not out of the woods, yet, as far as the pandemic. But this is a step in the right direction.”

jason.bell@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @WFPJasonBell