Denmark rink bounces back from adversity

Resilient team forced to reorganize after third Simonsen failed drug test

SWIFT CURRENT, SA SK. In over a decade competing at international curling tournaments, Danish skip Lene Nielsen has learned to roll with the punches.

A bad shot here and there isn’t going to send her spiralling. Even if a misplaced rock arguably costs her team a game, the way it did in the ninth end of Saturday’s opening draw against Canada, Nielsen bounces back quickly.

Dealing with a teammate failing a drug test, though, is something else altogether.

It was only a little over a month ago that Nielsen’s team received news that their third, Helle Simonsen, had tested positive for a banned substance during the 2015 European Championships and would be prohibited from competing for the foreseeable future.

“It’s got better, but still it’s always difficult to replace a teammate,” Nielsen said Monday morning after her team beat the previously undefeated Japan 11-4. “I’ve played with Helle for the last 10 or 12 years and of course it’s a struggle, but we’re trying to make the best of it.”

The rink quickly released a statement on their Facebook page explaining the incident and expressing support for their teammate. A

month later, that support hasn’t wavered.

“We’re still very good friends,” Nielsen said. “She’s following back home and is very supportive.”

The Danish Curling Federation released a statement as well, explaining that Simonsen had a hormonal imbalance called PCOS and was taking alternative medicines to help her get pregnant.

The message has been consistent: Simonsen made a mistake, but there wasn’t any malicious intent.

“One of the substances in the medicine is on the doping list,” the statement read.

“Helle has not been aware that the drug was on the doping list. It is not taken with performance enhancement in mind and she is very sorry about what happened.”

There wasn’t much time for the team to recover from the shock, as they needed to field a team for the Danish championships in mid-February and then prepare for worlds in Swift Current this week.

Second Stephanie Risdal was moved to third, alternate Isabella Clemmensen became second while lead Charlotte Clemmensen kept her position.

So far, the results don’t appear to be suffering.

The Danes are sitting at 2-2 after four games and could very easily be 3-1 if it weren’t for a couple of rough ends at the end of their opener against Chelsea Carey’s Canada team.