ENGLOT MAKING SCOTTIES HISTORY
Last year’s runner-up from Manitoba will play as Team Canada in 2018 event
Skip Michelle Englot went from the disappointment of being a runner-up at the 2017 Scotties Tournament of Hearts to the elation of being Team Canada in 2018.
Englot and her Manitoba team were edged 8-6 by Ontario’s Rachel Homan in the 2017 final.
A perk of winning the national championship is returning as Team Canada the following year.
However, the Team Canada designation went to Englot after Homan’s rink qualified for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
It’s the first time that the original Team Canada hasn’t been able to defend its championship since the concept was initiated in 1985.
Also new is an increase from a 12- to a 16-team field this year, which is now divided into two eight-team pools.
For the first time, every provincial and territorial association has a direct entry into the main draw. Those 14 teams will be joined by Englot along with the winner of a play-in game Friday night between Chelsea Carey and Kerri Einarson.
The 2018 Canadian women’s curling championship runs Friday through Feb. 4 at the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton, B.C.
With that in mind, here’s a look at teams taking part in the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, including the two teams vying for the lone wild-card berth.
The seedings for each pool were established by Curling Canada via the Canadian Team Ranking System.
POOL A
1. Manitoba (Winnipeg): Skip Jennifer Jones, third Shannon Birchard, second Jill Officer, lead Dawn McEwen, alternate Kaitlyn Lawes; Coach: Wendy Morgan.
The skinny: Jones is a favourite to reach the final four even with Lawes not playing due to her commitments in mixed doubles at the Winter Olympics with John Morris.
4. Wild-card team: To be determined Friday. Whoever wins will be favoured to reach the final four, considering the depth of the field. 5. Northern Ontario (Sudbury):
Skip Tracy Fleury, third Crystal Webster, second Jennifer Wylie, lead Amanda Gates, alternate Jenna Walsh, Coach: Andrea Ronnebeck.
The skinny: Fleury’s third appearance at the Scotties means she could be in the mix for the championship pool.
8. Nova Scotia (Dartmouth): Skip Mary-Anne Arsenault, third Christina Black, second Jennifer Baxter, lead Jennifer Crouse, alternate Carole MacLean; Coach: Peter Corkum.
The skinny: Arsenault is a fivetime Canadian and two-time world champion with skip Colleen Jones and that experience will carry her to the championship pool. 9. Saskatchewan (Saskatoon):
Skip Sherry Anderson, third Kourtney Fesser, second Krista Fesser, lead Karlee Korchinski, alternate Kim Schneider; Coach: Rick Folk.
The skinny: Anderson is a superb shotmaker and will need those skills to carry her young team. 12. New Brunswick (Moncton):
Skip Sylvie Robichaud, third Melissa Adams, second Nicole Bishop, lead Kendra Lister; Coach: Ellery Robichaud.
The skinny: Sylvie Robichaud has skipped in three previous Scotties, but has yet to post a winning record or advance to the playoffs.
13. Northwest Territories (Yellowknife): Skip Kerry Galusha, third Sarah Koltun, second Megan Koehler, lead Shona Barbour; Coach: Fred Koe.
The skinny: Loads of experience, including 14 appearances at the Scotties as a skip, third or alternate for Galusha. She still hasn’t posted a winning record.
16. Yukon (Whitehorse): Skip Chelsea Duncan, third Jenna Duncan, second Kara Price, lead Jody Smallwood, alternate Loralee Johnstone; Coach: Gordon Moffatt.
The skinny: Duncan makes her debut as a skip at the Scotties, but has played in pre-qualifying games in 2015 and 2017 as a third with Koltun.
POOL B
2. Alberta (Lethbridge): Skip Casey Scheidegger, third CaryAnne McTaggart, second Jessie Scheidegger, lead Kristie Moore, alternate Susan O’Connor; Coach: Carolyn McRorie.
The skinny: Scheidegger came out of Alberta, which is always a challenge. She’ll be among the final four. 3. Team Canada (Winnipeg):
Skip Michelle Englot, third Kate Cameron, second Leslie Wilson, lead Raunora Westcott, alternate Briane Meilleur; Coach: Ron Westcott.
The skinny: Englot had a rollercoaster of a cash season, but finished second at the Grand Slam of Curling ’s Canadian Open on Sunday. That’s a good sign heading into the Scotties.
6. Ontario (Toronto): Skip Hollie Duncan, third Stephanie LeDrew, second Cheryl Kreviazuk, lead Karen Sagle, alternate Danielle Inglis. Coach: None.
The skinny: The first-time skip at the Scotties will be in tough to advance. 7. British Columbia (Nanaimo):
Skip Kesa Van Osch, third Marika Van Osch, second Kalia Van
Osch, lead Amy Gibson, alternate Rachelle Kallechy; Coach: Bill Tschirhart.
The skinny: Kesa Van Osch finished fifth at the 2014 Scotties and that experience may help her advance.
10. Newfoundland/Labrador (St. John’s): Skip Stacie Curtis, third Erin Porter, second Julie Devereaux, lead Erica Trickett; Coach: Eugene Trickett.
The skinny: Curtis has played in big games, including winning the gold medal at the 2007 Canadian junior women’s championship. 11. Prince Edward Island (Charlottetown): Skip Robyn MacPhee, third Sarah Fullerton, second Meaghan Hughes, lead Michelle McQuaid; Coach: Mitch O’Shea.
The skinny: MacPhee has experience in eight Scotties as a skip and third. It’s asking a lot for her to be among the top four teams.
14. Quebec (Alma): Skip Emilia Gagne, third Melina Perron, second Marie-Pier Harvey, lead Chloe Arnaud, alternate Isabelle Thiboutot; Coach: Joel Gagne.
The skinny: The teenaged team rebounded from losing the provincial junior semifinal to capturing the women’s title two weeks later. It’s a big challenge ahead playing against older women.
15. Nunavut (Iqaluit): Skip Amie Shackleton, third Geneva Chislett, second Denise Hutchings, lead Robyn Mackey, alternate Christianne West; Coach: Donalda Mattie.
The skinny: All but the skip have played in Scotties pre-qualifiers in 2016 and 2017. They will gain experience from playing in the actual event.
WILD CARD A
Calgary: Skip Chelsea Carey, third Cathy Overton-Clapham, second Jocelyn Peterman, lead Laine Peters, alternate Jessica Amundson; Coach: Helen Radford.
The skinny: The entire team is experienced in big games, especially at the national level where four have won it all at the Scotties.
WILD CARD B
Winnipeg: Skip Kerri Einarson, third Selena Kaatz, second Liz Fyfe, lead Kristin MacCuish.
The skinny: Einarson made the playoffs in 2016 in her only appearance at the Scotties.