Nedohin knows more pressure coming this time at Scotties
Pressure is on for defending champion
There will be rising stars, familiar faces and veteran curlers in the field at next month’s Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
Several top rinks recently qualified for the 12-team competition at Kingston’s K-Rock Centre. Alberta’s Heather Nedohin is back to defend her title and she’ll be challenged by Manitoba’s Jennifer Jones, B.C.’s Kelly Scott, Mary-Anne Arsenault of Nova Scotia and Suzanne Birt of Prince Edward Island.
Nedohin, who defeated Scott in last year’s final in Red Deer, Alta., said she’ll be comfortable with the additional pressure that comes with wearing the Maple Leaf jersey as the Team Canada entry.
“I know what it’s like to play against Team Canada — everybody raises their game,” Nedohin said Tuesday from Sherwood Park, Alta. “But that also raises our game.”
Ottawa’s Rachel Homan has enjoyed a successful season and will get a boost from the home crowd at the Feb. 16-24 event. The Ottawa Curling Club skip, who won the national junior title in 2010, will be making her second Scotties appearance.
The Northwest Territories/Yukon entry will be led by Kerry Galusha, who will be competing in her 11th Canadian championship. Kristie Moore will skip Alberta and Allison Ross will guide the Quebec side.
Saskatchewan’s Jill Shumay and Newfoundland and Labrador’s Stacie Devereaux are also in the field. New Brunswick’s entry will be confirmed Sunday. Shumay is making her tournament debut, while Ross and Moore are skipping at the Scotties for the first time.
The winner of the 2013 Scotties will represent Canada at the March 16-24 world playdowns in Riga, Latvia.
In men’s play, this year’s Tim Hortons Brier is scheduled for March 2-10 at Rexall Place in Edmonton. The winner of that event will represent Canada at the men’s world championship March 30-April 7 at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria.