MORE REASONS TO CHEER
Ben Hebert and Michelle Englot, both of whom hail from Regina, had their own reasons to celebrate after the Canadian Olympic team curling trials.
Hebert, skip Kevin Koe, third Marc Kennedy and second Brent Laing were celebrating after beating Winnipeg’s Mike McEwen 7-6 in Sunday’s men’s final at the Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings. The Calgary-based team will now represent Canada at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
In Ottawa on Sunday, Koe drew the four-foot with his final shot to earn the win over McEwen. Hebert marked the victory by tossing his broom in the air.
“It was a great broom toss,’’ Hebert told Al Cameron, Curl Canada’s director of communications and media relations, on Monday.
“I didn’t plan it, but the guys told me that I threw my broom. I don’t totally remember and I think I blanked out when I threw it.’’
Englot also had something to celebrate after Ottawa’s Rachel Homan beat Calgary’s Chelsea Carey 6-5 in Sunday’s women’s final.
Homan, third Emma Miskew, second Joanne Courtney and lead Lisa Weagle will represent Canada on the women’s side at the Winter Olympics.
Homan’s win meant she will be replaced as Team Canada by Englot’s Winnipegbased team for the 2018 Canadian women’s curling championship, Jan. 27-Feb. 4 in Penticton, B.C.
Englot, third Katie Cameron, second Leslie Wilson-Westcott and lead Raunora Westcott were rewarded with the berth because they finished second to Homan at the 2017 Scotties Tournament of Hearts. “There was a silver lining to finishing second,’’ Englot said from Ottawa.
“Usually there are only two teams that come home happy from the trials. We’re happy for sure.’’
The defending Canadian champions are rewarded with a berth in the next national women’s championship. It was decided before the trials that if the national champion finished first, the Team Canada berth would go to the Scotties runnerup because the Olympics and the Canadian women’s championship are too close together.
“For sure, it’s backing into it,’’ Englot said.
“However, we had a really good run last year and we know that we need to prove that we deserve to be there.’’