Einarson rink wins fourth straight title
Kerri Einarson’s curling team achieved a Canadian women’s championship four-peat Sunday with a 10-4 win over Manitoba’s Jennifer Jones.
Einarson, third Val Sweeting, second Shannon Birchard and lead Briane Harris became just the second team to win four consecutive Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
“We’ve worked extremely hard to make this happen,” Einarson said. “It feels just as good as winning our first.”
Colleen Jones’ foursome won four in a row from 2001 to 2004.
“It’s just been an incredible run with this team,” Sweeting said. “I’m super-excited to wear the Maple Leaf a little longer.”
Einarson will represent Canada in the women’s world championship March 18-26 in Sandviken, Sweden.
Einarson led 5-4 in the ninth when Jones missed her attempted raise. Einarson made an open hit to score four, and Jones shook hands.
Manitoba had hammer to start the game because of earning the higher playoff seeding. After holding each other to single points in the opening four ends, Einarson stole the pivotal deuce. With two Einarson stones at the top of the eight-foot rings covering the button, Jones had to throw to the outside and her draw was light.
“If I could throw one again, that would be it,” Jones said.
The two sides again traded single points until the ninth.
Einarson beat Northern Ontario’s Krista McCarville 7-5 in the afternoon semifinal to get to the championship game.
Harris, who is pregnant and due in June, was a sweeping workhorse Sunday in back-to-back wins for Einarson.
“She is a machine out there. She’s just determined. She pushes through anything,” Einarson said. “She doesn’t ever complain.”
Harris posted accuracy percentages of 97 per cent in the final and 94 per cent in the semifinal.
“Being pregnant and curling is not the easiest thing in the world, but I’m really excited that I could do it, and put my mind to it,” said Harris, who is optimistic she can stay in the lineup at the world championship.
“I’m pretty stubborn,” the lead continued. “I think I’m going to do everything I can to play then. Hopefully, I don’t get that much bigger.”
Einarson and company return to the 2024 Tournament of Hearts in Calgary wearing the Maple Leaf again as Team Canada, with a chance at a record fifth consecutive title.
“Hopefully we have another one in us next year, but even if we don’t, this is an amazing run that we’ve had,” Harris said.
They also pocket $108,000 from a prize purse of $300,000 and are eligible for Sport Canada “carding ’” money as part of Curling Canada’s national-team program.