Tense times at Canadian trials

Friendships put on hold with Olympic spots on the line

SASKATOON Vice-skip Darren Moulding has played in Olympic qualifiers, grand slams, top tour events, and national and world championships for Brendan Bottcher’s Edmonton-based team.

When it comes to intensity, he says nothing quite compares to the Tim Hortons Canadian Curling Trials.

“The camaraderie between the curlers goes away a little bit,” he said.

“It’s probably the most competitive event I’ve ever played in.”

Bottcher’s rink is one of nine men’s teams entered in the 2021 trials starting Saturday at the SaskTel Centre.

A nine-team women’s event is also on tap as the country’s top curlers square off with berths in the Beijing Olympics on the line.

“Normally when you’d be playing at a slam, or even a Brier, you’re a little more friendly with the other teams,” Moulding said. “There’s a little bit more laughing and joking and that doesn’t happen at the trials.

“For about a week — I don’t want to say hate each other — but definitely some of the friendships get put aside for a week.”

As reigning Brier champions, Bottcher’s side will be one of the favourites. They’ll be joined by a who’s who of curling talent for an event that’s considered the deepest domestic competition of the quadrennial.

Olympic champion skips Brad Gushue (2006), of St. John’s, and Brad Jacobs (2014), of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., are back along with Calgary’s Kevin Koe, who’ll try to return to the Games after missing the podium in 2018 at Pyeongchang.

Regina’s Matt Dunstone will enjoy home-ice advantage as the lone Saskatchewan-based entry. Toronto’s John Epping and Mike McEwen of West St. Paul, Man., round out a field that includes pre-trials winners Jason Gunnlaugson of Morris, Man., and Tanner Horgan of Kingston, Ont.

The round-robin opener is Saturday afternoon.

“It’s more intensity,” Moulding said in a recent interview. “The normal ‘Hi’ and smile you’d get out of somebody, you’re not going to get at the trials. It’s just little things like that that I really notice.”

“I think the respect remains. I think it’s just more of an intensity and a little bit of a dog-eat-dog mentality.”

Koe made a game-winning draw to beat McEwen in the 2017 trials in Ottawa. McEwen topped Gushue in the semifinal while Bottcher settled for fourth place.

Ottawa’s Rachel Homan, who beat Chelsea Carey four years ago to take the Olympic spot, returns as one of the headliners in the women’s draw.

Reigning national champion Kerri Einarson, of Gimli, Man., will also be a favourite along with Winnipeg’s Jennifer Jones and Tracy Fleury, of East St. Paul, Man., who holds the top spot in the world rankings. Carey is serving as an alternate for Fleury’s team.

Edmonton’s Kelsey Rocque, Casey Scheidegger, of Lethbridge, Alta., and Edmonton’s Laura Walker are also in the field with pretrials winners Krista McCarville, of Thunder Bay, Ont., and Jacqueline Harrison, of Dundas, Ont.

“To be able to win the trials is a major accomplishment,” said Lisa Weagle, a former lead for Homan who is now on Jones’ five-player team.

“But then you also know that the work is not done yet. You’ve got a job to do at the Olympics.”