No regrets as Hodgson heads home

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/04/2021 (1700 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Colin Hodgson couldn’t do the bubble again, simple as that.

One of curling’s most recognizable and popular athletes, who plays lead for Mike McEwen’s team out of West St. Paul, won’t be competing in a pair of Grand Slam of Curling events in Calgary over the next weeks.

“It wasn’t the right place for me, without a doubt,” Hodgson told the Free Press Tuesday.

“I was thinking about the worst-case scenario. I live in a small community. I really care about the community. If I go there and contract COVID-19, who am I putting at risk?”

The 30-year-old former Winnipegger lives in the small town of Balmertown, Ont., (near Red Lake) about 100 km east of the Manitoba border.

He travelled to Winnipeg last Thursday, stayed a few days at the home of longtime teammate Reid Carruthers and was scheduled to drive west Sunday morning. Instead, he hopped in his vehicle and headed in the opposite direction.

A COVID-19 scare at the world men’s championship over the weekend sealed the deal.

The conclusion of the world championship was delayed because four participants tested positive for the virus last week. All four subsequently tested negative in a round of retesting.

The World Curling Federation said Monday they were “false positives.”

“I don’t regret the decision at all, and the news of the false positives did not change my mind. I know it’s the right decision for me. Actually, I’m really excited to watch from a different vantage point, have a coffee or crack a beer and watch my teammates,” said Hodgson, who co-owns an apparel company, Dynasty Curling, that outfits teams around the world,

“My teammates have helped me so much. I was scared to talk to them because I didn’t want to let them down, that would be the most difficult thing. And their response was, ‘You couldn’t ever let us down.’ And that’s so great to feel and to hear.”

The Slam bonspiels are the fifth and sixth events of seven held without spectators and with strict health guidelines in place at WinSport Arena and nearby hotels, to maintain a low-risk environment during the pandemic.

Hodgson, who has been open about his struggles with mental health, wasn’t all that comfortable spending two weeks locked inside the bubble for the Brier back in March. The hours of isolation and regular testing, combined with the pressure of a Canadian championship, were heavy to bear.

“The first time was really difficult to get through, and it’s different for different people. That’s the point. It’s not the same for everyone,” said Hodgson, who got engaged to his partner, Brittnie, last fall.

“Just hearing what those athletes (at the worlds) were going through during that uncertainty, I’ve spoken out quite a bit and a lot of people have reached out to me, saying ‘Thank you’ or ‘I feel the same way.'”

The Champions Cup, the first of two Slams, has been pushed back a day and now begins Thursday morning, with the men’s and women’s finals slated for Monday instead of Sunday. The additional day allows more time to change the sponsorship logos and restore the ice at WinSport Arena, because the world men’s final didn’t finish until 1 a.m. Monday.

The Players’ Championship slides out of the hack on Tues., April 20. Together, the Slams have $560,000 in prize money on the line.

Carruthers said the team fully supports Hodgson’s decision and admires his courage and honesty.

“It wasn’t a decision that was made quickly or without any team discussion. Colin has 100 per cent of our support and it was best for him to return home and take care of his own needs,” said Carruthers. “We’ll do our best to pick up the slack without him. We’ll definitely be missing both Colin and Mike.”

Indeed, Hodgson’s absence is just one major alteration to the McEwen crew. The skipper remained in Winnipeg because his wife, 2014 Olympic champion Dawn McEwen, is due to give birth to the couple’s second child this week.

So, Carruthers is moving up from third to toss the final two stones, while a replacement player, Tyler Tardi, 22, of Langley, B.C., a two-time world junior men’s champion, and usual McEwen second Derek Samagalski will deliver three rocks apiece.

“We’re doing it for both events. We can’t bring anyone else into the bubble… we decided that instead of going with a spare already in the bubble, we would go with three,” he said.

The top-ranked women’s and men’s team in the world are in the 24-team fields, including recently crowned world champion Niklas Edin of Sweden, former world champions Brad Gushue and Kevin Koe of Canada and reigning Canadian champions Kerri Einarson and Brendan Bottcher.

Einarson, third Val Sweeting, second Shannon Birchard and lead Briane Meilleur will represent Canada in the women’s world championship April 30 to May 9.

Tracy Fleury of East St. Paul and Jennifer Jones of St. Vital are also in the 12-team women’s field, while Jason Gunnlaugson of Morris is among a dozen men’s squads.

Competitors in the two Slams had to provide proof of a negative test upon arrival this week and will test twice before they hit the ice for practice Wednesday. Players will not be required to wear masks during games.

“I don’t think I have reservations, but you always have to err on the side of caution. I think everyone’s guard is going to be up just a little bit more than maybe what it was for the last few events,” Carruthers said.

“But (Curling Canada) has done a great job of hosting so far, and as long as people are still being careful, I’m not all that concerned. We’ll just hope that no one tests positive from here on out, and not only the Slams can run but, more importantly, we can see Kerri Einarson play in a world championship.”

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPJasonBell