Curlers await looming Olympic team decision after cancellation of mixed doubles trials

Gregory Strong · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Jan 04, 2022 5:59 PM EST | Last Updated: January 4, 2022

After COVID-19 challenges forced the cancellation of Canada's mixed doubles trials, respective apical curlers are anxiously waiting to larn whether they volition beryllium chosen to correspond the state successful the subject astatine the Beijing Games.

Curling Canada has said it volition consult with the Canadian Olympic Committee and Own the Podium earlier an announcement volition beryllium made.

Specifics connected a timeline haven't been determined, making an extended hold for the contenders look adjacent longer.

"This is simply a presumption we've ne'er truly been successful earlier wherever it's wholly retired of your control," said John Morris, who won Olympic mixed doubles golden successful 2018. "I deliberation that's the biggest thing. As an athlete, you ever privation to power your ain destiny. That's been the pugnacious part."

The trials were primitively scheduled for Dec. 28-Jan. 2 successful Portage la Prairie, Man., but were cancelled connected Boxing Day. The federation cited question risks and affirmative cases among athletes for its decision.

Morris teamed with Kaitlyn Lawes to triumph golden successful the discipline's Olympic debut successful Pyeongchang, South Korea.

His accustomed partner, Rachel Homan, was not disposable for the trials that twelvemonth arsenic she had secured an Olympic spot successful the women's squad competition. Curling Canada doesn't let curlers to play successful some disciplines astatine the aforesaid Games.

Homan and Morris, presently ranked 5th successful Canada, are some disposable for enactment this clip around. Now they conscionable person to transverse their fingers and anticipation they get the motion erstwhile the determination is yet made.

"It's decidedly hard connected the heart," Homan said Tuesday from Beaumont, Alta.

Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant are ranked No. 1 successful Canada but some are already Beijing-bound aft victories successful the four-player squad trials past November successful Saskatoon.

Peterman helped Team Jennifer Jones to triumph and Gallant helped Team Brad Gushue triumph the men's berth. Jones and Brent Laing are ranked 2nd successful mixed doubles.

Given the unsocial scenario, it's imaginable — though seemingly improbable — that Curling Canada could marque an objection to its rule. Many countries let players to vie successful some disciplines astatine the Games, but it appears doubtful the Canadian federation would privation to disrupt squad plans astatine this precocious date.

Nancy Martin and Tyrel Griffith are ranked 3rd up of Lisa Weagle and John Epping. Weagle is portion of Jones's five-player squad but is eligible for mixed doubles since she's listed arsenic an alternate for Beijing.

Another imaginable contender is the duo of Kerri Einarson and Brad Jacobs. Einarson, who won the Canadian mixed doubles rubric past play with Gushue, planned to play the trials with Jacobs.

'You can't spell and beryllium yourself'

Rankings and caller results volition apt interaction the decision-making process. Experience successful large events similar satellite championships and Olympic Games could besides beryllium factors.

Morris said helium was "champing astatine the bit" to get connected the crystal earlier the playdowns were cancelled.

"Rachel and I had a large grooming campy starring up to the trials," helium said successful a caller interview. "We were truthful acceptable to go. That's the hard part. You can't spell and beryllium yourself."

Sweden, Great Britain, Switzerland, Norway and the United States are immoderate of the headliners successful the 10-team Olympic mixed doubles field.

Homan, meanwhile, is besides waiting for quality connected different curling front. The Ontario Curling Association precocious suspended its Jan. 5-9 provincial title successful Thornhill owed to caller restrictions successful the province.

On Friday, the relation plans to state a typical for the Jan. 28-Feb. 6 Scotties Tournament of Hearts successful Thunder Bay, Ont.

"It has conscionable been a brainsick mates of weeks really," Homan said. "Just truthful galore emotions that travel with it."

Homan, a three-time nationalist champion who has led Ontario to 3 consecutive Scotties last appearances, would usually beryllium a slam dunk for selection.

However, if she gets the Olympic mixed doubles call, it could unfastened the doorway for Ontario contenders similar Team Hollie Duncan (ranked sixth successful Canada) oregon Team Jacqueline Harrison (tied for sixth astatine trials).

More cancellations

The 2022 Canadian Under-18 Championships were postponed Tuesday owed to ongoing uncertainty related to the pandemic, Curling Canada said.

The 2023 U18 nationals volition beryllium held successful Timmins adjacent year. Curling Canada besides said the inaugural Under-23 Lethbridge Classic successful March volition beryllium cancelled.

Super Sunday

Five antithetic provincial and territorial championships were connected pat this week to capable retired the tract astatine the upcoming Canadian women's curling championship.

Kerri Einarson's squad volition deterioration Canada colours astatine the 2022 Scotties. The Manitoba-based rink volition beryllium joined by Christina Black (Nova Scotia), Brigitte MacPhail (Nunavut), Sarah Hill (Newfoundland and Labrador) and Mackenzie Zacharias (Manitoba) successful the field.

Ontario, Northern Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island person either cancelled oregon suspended their playdowns and person yet to denote their representatives. A azygous wild-card squad volition besides beryllium added.

The men's nationalist championship, the Tim Hortons Brier, is acceptable for March 4-13 successful Lethbridge, Alta.