Hebert hits the ice Tuesday in Olympic men’s curling opener
The Canadian men’s curling team, including Regina-born lead Ben Hebert, will make its 2018 Winter Olympics debut Tuesday.
The Kevin Koe-skipped foursome faces Italy’s Amos Mosaner at 6:05 p.m., Saskatchewan time. Koe, Hebert, third Marc Kennedy and second Brent Laing will then oppose Kyle Smith of Great Britain on Wednesday at 5:05 a.m.
Hebert, now of Calgary, is shooting for his second Olympic gold medal. He was a member of the championship-winning Kevin Martin team at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Canada’s women’s hockey team, which includes forward Emily Clark of Saskatoon, is gearing up for Wednesday’s preliminaryround showdown with the archrival Americans (Wednesday, 9:10 p.m.).
Canada opened its schedule Sunday with a 5-0 victory over OAR (Olympic Athletes from Russia). Team Canada’s second game is against Finland (Tuesday, 1:40 a.m.).
The Canadian roster also includes Brigitte Lacquette of Mallard, Man., who has family ties to Cote First Nation (near Yorkton). Lacquette once represented the Yorkton Tribal Council at the Saskatchewan First Nations Winter Games.
The Canadian men’s hockey team, including Linden Vey of Wakaw, is to begin its schedule Thursday against Switzerland (6:10 a.m.).
Regina’s Kali Christ, a longtrack speedskater, was 19th in the women’s 1,500 metres Monday. She posted a time of one minute, 59.42 seconds.
At the 2014 Olympics, Christ was 16th in 1:58.63.
Christ is also a candidate to compete for Canada in women’s team pursuit. That event begins Feb. 19 with the quarter-final round.
Marsha Hudey of White City is to compete in the women’s 500m long-track event Sunday.
Regina-born freestyle skier Andi Naude, who grew up in Penticton, B.C., finished sixth in women’s moguls on Sunday.
Regina snowboarder Mark McMorris won a bronze medal in men’s slopestyle Sunday. He also placed third in that event at the 2014 Olympics.
Next up for McMorris is the men’s big air event. Qualification is Feb. 21 and the finals are set for Feb. 24.
Moose Jaw’s Ben Coakwell is a member of the four-man bobsled team that is to compete in its first heat Feb. 24.