Mixed doubles event draws cream of crop
The Wall Grain Mixed Doubles Classic offers an entry list unlike most curling competitions. There are husband-and-wife teams, first-time duos and teammates from the traditional fourplayer game will become opponents.
The event is part of an effort to grow the discipline in Canada now that mixed doubles is on the program for the 2018 Winter Olympics.
“It’s a learning curve for everyone, for sure,” said Curling Canada mixed doubles program manager Jeff Stoughton. “But I think they’re all very excited about the challenge.”
The 20-team field for the two-day competition at the Oshawa Curling Club is loaded with elite curlers. Mixed doubles is not the top priority for most and there are significant differences between the two disciplines.
Mixed doubles is a faster game that requires different strategies, heightened fitness levels and quicker decision-making. The change of pace and variety of shot options are also appealing differences for many curlers used to the traditional game.
There are six stones — with one pre-positioned on the centre line at the start of an end — instead of the usual eight. Games are eight ends long with a 22-minute shot clock rather than the usual 10 ends and 38 minutes.
Most top curlers have at least a little experience with the doubles game and are starting to take it more seriously for the first time. Stoughton, a two-time world champ who retired earlier this year, was directly involved at the inaugural Canad Inns Mixed Doubles Classic last month, which essentially served as a test event. It was sandwiched between regular men’s and women’s events at the Portage Curling Club in Manitoba.
“The teams that played were excited to play, they were enthused,” he said in a recent interview. “They thought it was really great to be part
“I just find that it’s more stimulating. It’s easy for me to get really engaged and into it.”
JOHN MORRIS ON MIXED DOUBLES CURLING
of something different from what they usually play. I think that was the biggest thrill for them, if you want to call it that, that they were excited to play and try something new. “So the feedback was wonderful.” Most players are already in Oshawa this week for the National, the latest stop on the Grand Slam of Curling schedule. The mixed-doubles competition will begin Monday.
Pool A features teams such as Rachel Homan and John Morris — who were victorious in Portage la Prairie — along with Dawn and Mike McEwen, and Lisa Weagle and Mike Epping.
“I just find that it’s more stimulating,” Morris said this week. “It’s easy for me to get really engaged and into it and that’s when I play my best.”
Jennifer Jones will team with partner Brent Laing in Pool B, which also includes Emma Miskew and Ryan Fry and 2014 Canadian mixed-doubles champs Kim and Wayne Tuck.
Kaitlyn Lawes and Marc Kennedy headline Pool C with Joanne Courtney and Reid Carruthers, while Pool D boasts reigning national champions Charley Thomas and Kalynn Park along with Val Sweeting and Brad Gushue.
“You’ve got world champions, Olympic champions, Canadian champions, Canada Cup champions,” Stoughton said. “It’s a fantastic field.” It’s all part of the buildup to the Canadian mixed-doubles trials March 31 to April 3 in Saskatoon and the world championships April16-23 in Karlstad, Sweden. With an eye on qualification for the Pyeongchang Olympic Games, Canada needs to start building the program to have a shot at the podium success it has enjoyed in traditional curling.