HOMAN’S HEROES
Bronze not what Ottawa foursome had in mind, but it’s a start
Ottawa rink claims bronze at women’s curling worlds
As birthday presents go, Lisa Weagle says, a world curling championship bronze medal is pretty good. It’s just not gold. “It’s disappointing that we’re not in the 1-2 game,” Weagle, now 28, said after she and her teammates from Ottawa defeated the United States 8-6 on Sunday.
“This was a really tough game for us to play, to come out after losing (Saturday) night, and to play the bronze. I’m just so proud of the team for how we persevered and pulled through and won this one.”
Weagle, lead for the Ottawa Curling Club foursome, skip Rachel Homan, third Emma Miskew and second Alison Kreviazuk had to regroup emotionally after the devastating 8-7 semifinal defeat against Scotland. They seemed to have a tie game well under control in the 10th and final end, but Homan’s attempt to remove two Scottish stones was off by inches, with the first target rock crashing into the other and staying put to provide the margin of victory.
“It’s tough, as Canadians, to get to these events,” said Homan, 23.
“We don’t get chosen. We have to win a lot of games to get here against a lot of top teams. It’s an honour to represent our country, and it’s really good experience for our team. We’re really young and really happy to have a chance to represent our country at such a young age. It’s good experience for us, especially in getting to the (Olympic team) trials. We would love to come back to this stage again
‘It’s good experience for us, especially in getting to the (Olympic team) trials. We would love to come back to this stage again and try to do one better next time.’
RACHEL HOMAN
Team Canada skip
and try to do one better next time.”
Yes, “next time.” There are unfulfilled goals, and the disappointment at Riga’s Volvo Sports Center should fuel Weagle, Homan, Miskew, 24, and Kreviazuk, 24, just as the three youngest team members remember losing the 2010 world junior final in Switzerland.
They’ll be in Toronto in April for the Players Championship World Curling Tour event, pursuing the $25,000 top prize and a $100,000 bonus if they add that title to one from the Rogers Masters of Curling at Brantford, Ont., in November.
Come December, they should be in Winnipeg, competing for the right to represent Canada in Sochi Winter Olympic Games curling.
“I think this is only the beginning,” Kreviazuk said. “We’ve had a taste for worlds, and obviously we would love to come back. Next year, hopefully we can do Sochi instead. That’s definitely what our team is aiming for. That’s what every team is aiming for.”
According to Miskew, Olympic participation is what this team has been striving for ever since its members came together, which in itself says something since she, Homan and Kreviazuk have curled since Little Rocks kids days, while Weagle joined them three seasons ago.
Since then, they’ve won loads of cashspiel money, two Ontario titles and one national championship. It would take nerve to wager against them as contenders in the foreseeable future.
“I think we gained a ton of experience being here,” Miskew said.
“It was very different from junior worlds. We knew it would be, but I think that coming here and getting this opportunity gave us a ton of insight on what the world competitions are like and what the ice is like and how we have to play in order to win. (Saturday’s) game, as disappointing as it was, there are lessons to take from that game. We can hold our heads high because we played a great game, and s--- happens, basically.”
Earle Morris, their coach, says the difference between winning and losing is almost always a shot here or there, an inch here or there. The trick is to continue getting into position to be successful.
The next time these four women qualify for a world championship, and particularly one outside Canada, they’ll better understand and adjust more quickly to the environment, plus they’ll know the competition, Morris said.
“A lot of these teams repeat in representing their countries because they are the best in their countries,” he said.
The best team in their own country for 2013 is to fly back to Ottawa late Monday.
“I’m so proud of the
girls and how we pulled through from the loss from (Saturday) night,” Kreviazuk said. “I think every one of us is really determined, really wanted to get on that podium and make ourselves and our country proud.”
For a few days, they’ll try not to think curling 24-7. Weagle wants to give her boyfriend a hug, and all four are looking forward to sleeping in their own beds after a night on Frankfurt airport benches — fallout from a storm and cancelled flights — and 12 in a Riga hotel.
“Nothing is nicer than just lying on your own bed,” Kreviazuk said. “I’m not going to lie. Tuesday I have off work, so I’m planning on just having a complete TLC day. Take care of Alison, all about me. Maybe make a delicious meal and just lie on the couch.
“I’ll probably end up watching curling.”