Curlers worried about return

In the days leading up to the world women’s curling championship, originally slated for March 14-22 in Prince George, B.C., there was growing concern that people coming in from other countries could bring COVID-19 to the event.

We now know those fears came true.

Brad Askew, a Canadian who is the national curling team coach in the Czech Republic, flew to Canada for the worlds and spent time in Prince George before heading back home five days later, after the cancellation.

The 58-year-old Prague resident started to fall ill on the return trip to Europe and tested positive for COVID-19 in the Czech Republic after being rushed to the hospital with shortness of breath.

He believes he caught COVID -19 on the trip to Canada and was infectious during his time in Prince George.

“I just thought I was jetlagged,” said Askew. “I was going around buying groceries, went to the physio office, shook hands with all of them, went to the massage therapy office, went back to the hotel. All the teams were mingling in the foyer of the hotel because the rumour was flying around like crazy that they were going to cancel the event.”

Askew, now COVID-19-FREE, is one of two people involved in the world women’s championship to have tested positive, the World Curling Federation said. The other is a member of the international media.

One can only imagine how the illness might have spread, had the curling event taken place.

At least two other curling events taking place in March were hit hard by the virus.

At least 40 of the 73 people who participated in a bonspiel for medical professionals in Edmonton tested positive for the coronavirus.

And at the U.S. curling club championship in Potomac, Md., at least 20 people contracted the disease.

All this brings us to the concerns many curlers have about the immediate future of their sport. Annual events on Canadian curling’s fall schedule — including the Shorty Jenkins Classic in Cornwall, Ont., in September and the Canad Inns men’s, women’s and mixed doubles classics in October and November in Portage, Man., — have already been cancelled and curlers fear there will be many more called off due to the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19.

“I would fall into the worried, pessimistic crowd,” Winnipeg skip Mike Mcewen said. “Until you get some examples of other sports getting it right and working and starting their season, there’s not too much to be pumped about right now, regarding curling.”

Curling events are highly social gatherings, with plenty of customary handshakes and high fives along with a strong tradition of post-game beverages.

Many of those customs will have to change.