By Marty Hastings,
Kerri Einarson and her Team Canada rink are within reach of history at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
Colleen Jones of Nova Scotia is the only team that can lay claim to winning four consecutive Canadian women乌鸦传媒檚 championship titles (2001 to 2004), but Einarson and her rink from Gimli, Man., are one gold medal shy of tying the record.
乌鸦传媒淭hat would be an absolute honour if we could do that,乌鸦传媒� Einarson told KTW. 乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e definitely not going to put pressure on ourselves. We know it乌鸦传媒檚 not easy and we will have a target on our backs. We have for the last three years.乌鸦传媒�
Team Einarson, which includes third Val Sweeting, second Shannon Birchard and lead Briane Harris, is the No. 1-ranked women乌鸦传媒檚 curling team in the world, thanks in part to an incredible run at Pinty乌鸦传媒檚 Grand Slam of Curling events.
The rink has reached the final in each of its last six Grand Slam appearances, winning twice.
乌鸦传媒淲e get on a roll and we just get that feeling, knowing the ice and getting comfortable with it,乌鸦传媒� Einarson said. 乌鸦传媒淧lus, we just go out there and play relaxed and have some fun.乌鸦传媒�
Einarson said rest and relaxation in between draws will be important at the 18-team Scotties.
乌鸦传媒淲e have a dart board, but it乌鸦传媒檚 going to be tough to travel with those items,乌鸦传媒� Einarson said with a laugh. 乌鸦传媒淲e play board games. We play marbles.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 an extremely tough field and adding three Wild Card spots into that, it乌鸦传媒檚 a long, gruelling week.乌鸦传媒�
The team cut back its playing schedule for the 2022-2023 campaign.
乌鸦传媒淲e went so hard for the last four years,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淲e decided to dial it back a little bit and play more of the Grand Slam events and also the Pan Continental. We乌鸦传媒檝e had a really successful season, reaching finals in all of the Grand Slams and winning bronze in the Pan Continental.乌鸦传媒�
Gold at the world championship has eluded Einarson, who has her sights set on reaching the 2023 LGT World Women乌鸦传媒檚 Curling Championship, which is being held from March 18 to March 26 in Sandviken, Sweden. The winner of this year乌鸦传媒檚 Scotties in Kamloops will be off to Scandanavia.
乌鸦传媒淲hen you get there and you get that feeling, you want to get back,乌鸦传媒� Einarson said. 乌鸦传媒淲e won bronze [at the 2022 Women乌鸦传媒檚 World Curling Championship in Prince George] and we definitely want to get back there soon and, hopefully, bring home gold for Canada.乌鸦传媒�
Team Canada will open its tournament on Friday. Feb. 17, against skip Laurie St-Georges and Team Quebec, a 6 p.m. start in Draw 1 action at Sandman Centre.
READ MORE: Vernon Vipers last second goal clips West Kelowna Warriors 4-3
READ MORE: Pregnant Rihanna soars in Super Bowl halftime performance
