COVID-19 creating challenges for curling
With provincial championships nixed, it remains to be seen who goes to Brier
Saskatchewan's competitive curlers are facing a messy house.
Regina's two curling clubs, for example, are both closed due to a coronavirus outbreak that followed a bonspiel in mid-november at the Highland Curling Club.
The outbreak led to the Saskatchewan Health Authority warning on Sunday that those who had visited the Highland or Callie clubs from Nov. 13-24 face an increased risk of contracting COVID-19.
Both clubs had voluntarily closed their doors before Sunday's warning was issued, but anyone who was at those clubs on any of those dates is urged to self-isolate and to arrange for testing.
Braeden Moskowy, the third on Matt Dunstone's reigning Saskatchewan men's championship rink, recently went into self-isolation after visiting the Highland and being in close contact with other curlers.
“It's disappointing, but I don't think it's a situation where you point fingers,” said Moskowy, adding that he feels fine and hasn't suffered any coronavirus symptoms.
“The Highland has done a fantastic job of keeping everything safe and following the protocols and doing their best to mitigate risk as much as possible. That's just the reality of the beast that we're dealing with.”
Curlsask continues to deal with the impact of COVID-19, announcing on Wednesday the cancellation of the 2021 Saskatchewan men's and women's championships. The events were scheduled for Jan. 29Feb. 7 in Estevan.
The cancellations have led to uncertainty about how Curlsask will declare its provincial representatives for the 2021 Canadian men's
and women's championships.
Curling Canada announced on Wednesday that the Scotties Tournament of Hearts and Tim Hortons Brier would be played in 2021 under a bubble in Calgary.
The bubble would be similar to the model used by the NHL to conduct the 2020 playoffs in Toronto and Edmonton. Fans weren't allowed in the NHL bubble and it will be the same for curling.
According to Curlsask's website, the governing body of curling is considering a number of scenarios to declare provincial men's and women's champions. Details on those options are to be provided at a later date, likely by early January.
One option that may be considered is having smaller provincial championship fields, ranging from four to eight teams. Past provincial championships featured 16 men's and 12 women's teams.
Another possibility might be having the points leaders on the current men's and women's Saskatchewan curling tours playing off against the 2020 provincial champions. That scenario would limit the competition to two men's teams and two women's teams.
If curling clubs don't reopen in time to decide champions on the ice, the Curlsask board could pick a men's and women's team to represent Saskatchewan nationally.
“If I had my way, I would prefer to play a full provincial and win it fair and square that way,” Moskowy said. “If anyone is going to the Brier, they want to earn it. It would be super unfortunate if Curlsask has to pick a team, but that's the reality of the situation.”
More than the Scotties and Brier will be under Curling Canada's bubble. The Canadian mixed doubles championship and men's world championship will also be contested in Calgary.
The women's world championship is to be held in Switzerland, March 20-28.
Official dates for Curling Canada's bubble haven't been announced, but the Scotties is expected to be held in February, followed by the Brier and Canadian mixed doubles in March, and the men's world championship in April.
Two more events — the Grand Slam of Curling's Players' Championship and Champions Cup — were added to the Calgary bubble on Thursday. Details are still being sorted out, but those events would be held in the spring.
“It's been a tough season for curling with everything that has gone on while trying to make plans and change quickly,” Moskowy said.
“(The bubble) is super exciting and gives the guys something to look forward to. It's a light at the end of the tunnel.”