Homan rink back on track after victories over Latvia, Denmark
RIGA, Latvia — They’re playing for their country, but Rachel Homan, Emma Miskew, Alison Kreviazuk and Lisa Weagle are also playing mostly for themselves in this women’s world curling championship.
Sure, there have been dozens of Canadian supporters among the hundreds of spectators in the Volvo Sports Center, but thousands watched them claim their first national title in Kingston, Ont., on Feb. 24 and the number of relatives and family friends has also been diminished by a combination of distance, time and expense.
“It’s a little bit different this time around,” Homan said Sunday. “I think we’ve got around six ( fans), but there’s a couple more coming later in the week. The fans and the crowd are a little bit different, but we’re having a lot of fun.”
Homan’s uncle, Brent, is in Riga, and expected later this week are Miskew family friends Grant and Angela Lawson, who attended not only the nationals, but also the Ontario women’s championship in Kitchener, Ont., in early February.
Her father, Doug Kreviazuk, is particularly noticeable for his absence from the arena, according to the 24- year- old second.
“He’s always the loudest one in the audience, riling up the crowd,” said Kreviazuk.
Cool, or at least much cooler, was what the members of the team from the Ottawa Curling Club were after rebounding from a 6- 4 loss against Scotland on Saturday.
After shooting a combined 74 per cent in that one, Homan and Co. were at 85 per cent in a 7- 5 victory against Latvia and 82 per cent in an 8- 2 thumping of Denmark.
Kreviazuk’s improvement was particularly striking: to 90 and 91 per cent, respectively, from 65 in the opener.
Those results left Homan’s team at 2- 1 and in a five- way tie for third in the 12- team roundrobin. Switzerland’s Silvana Tirizoni and Margaretha Sigfridsson of Sweden lead at 3- 0.
What people at home missed seeing in person on Sunday was a much more confident Canadian team .
Three years ago, Homan, Miskew and Kreviazuk ( as team alternate) wore Canadian colours in the world junior championship at Flims, Switzerland. They lost the final to Sweden.
Canada’s Monday schedule included an early morning contest against Russia and a later game against the United States. Round- robin play continues through Thursday, followed, if necessary, by tiebreakers to determine the four playoff qualifiers. The championship concludes with bronzeand gold- medal games next Sunday.