Winsport Arena in Calgary could play host to several Season of Champions events in a bubble format
With every day that passes by without an announcement by Curling Canada, it becomes more and more likely that the 2021 Season of Champions events (Scotties, Brier, worlds) will not go ahead in their scheduled dates.
While it has long been rumoured that the national curling association, which sanctions some of the biggest events of the year, is looking at hosting these events using a bubble format, most likely in Calgary, there has been no official word for months.
In fact, Curling Canada has yet to formally announced the postponement/cancelation of the events at their original sites. You can actually still buy ticket packages for the Brier and Scotties!
While it is understandable that finding an alternative way of hosting these events is likely a massive undertaking, with existing contracts needing to be amended, and health protocols put in place, the fact that Curling Canada has yet to make any sort of official statement is concerning.
Despite the fact that planning has likely been underway for quite some time, Curling Canada’s reluctance to officially announce the alternate events could mean that they are in jeopardy.
Given the recent cancelation of events and closure of clubs across the country, due to a spike in COVID cases in many hotspots, it is quite possible that organizers are reconsidering their ability to host these events in their scheduled time-slots.
The delayed response could be a result of Curling Canada not actually knowing when it will be able to run events like the Scotties Tournament of Hearts or Tim Hortons Brier. Currently, the Scotties is scheduled to begin February 20, which is now less than three months away.
It is likely that Curling Canada will only announce these events when it is certain they will be able to go ahead without interruption, thus avoiding the scenario that played out in Prince George at this year’s World Women’s Championship, with the event being canceled the day before it was set to begin, after teams had already flown in from around the world.
While all these uncertainties justify Curling Canada’s inability to formally announce alternative plans for the Brier and Scotties, their reluctance to formally postpone or cancel the events at their original date and location is perplexing. Even if the governing body is waiting to see whether or not it will be possible to offer the host cities future editions of the events, there is no reason as to why organizers and ticket holders have been kept in the dark for so long.
The news all but conformed what many had feared; the COVID-19 pandemic will significantly impact the 2020-21 curling season. While Curling Canada has yet to cancel 2020 Home Hardware Canada Cup late November, there is now a very good chance the Canadian season won’t officially get underway until provincial play downs begin in the new year.
The cancellation of the first four events of the Grand Slam season has many implications, not only will elite teams be unable to play competitive draws for the next several months, but they will also be unable to compete for the large sums of cash that are made available at the slams.
The cancelation of these events could also prevent teams from meeting some of their sponsorship requirements. When companies sign-on to back curling teams, they are doing so in part because of the television and media exposure that is made available to teams competing at the sport’s highest level. With these events now canceled, these sponsors have lost out on at least four weekends of national television exposure.
Corporations like Canadian Beef pay big bucks to get their logos on the jackets of the country’s top teams
Given the fact that curling is still thought of as an amateur sport, at least where the ability for athletes to make a living competing at the highest level is concerned, teams rely on these events to generate much of their necessary funds. With the amount of prize-money up for grabs this season now significantly reduced, teams will have to work even herder to secure the funds necessary to mount a competitive season.
Despite the fact that this sort of announcement is exactly what teams and organizers were hoping to avoid, it was the right decision. Given the global nature of competitive curling, there was no way Sportsnet could pull these events off in time, amidst a global pandemic.
While teams do face a great deal of uncertainty surrounding the upcoming season, there are still options for teams to stay in-shape and competitive during this extended off-season.
As provinces and other jurisdictions begin to loosen some of the restrictions that have been put in place over the last few months, curling clubs and other athletic facilities are beginning to open up. As organizations like Curling Canada start to publish return-to play strategies, it will become much easier for teams to train and compete during the pandemic.
Given the fact that many curling clubs often have a number of elite teams as members, rinks will be able to train alongside some of their regular tour competitors. While the competitiveness of these rinks will vary, teams shouldn’t have to go too far to find decent opponents.
There may also be opportunities for rinks to compete in smaller cash-spells around the country this fall. A number of World Curling Tour events are still on the schedule for the fall and winter months. While it is impossible to predict where we will be in regards to COVID come October, if the spread of the virus continues to slow,, is is possible that some of the more “open” provinces would welcome such events.
While the World Curling Tour events don’t often feature as competitive of fields as the Slams do, nor do they have as much prize money, these events would definitely be welcomed by the country’s elite teams.
Given the current rules associated with travel into Canada, it is unlike that international teams would be able to come and compete in these events, unless significant improvement is seen in regards to the pandemic, or if event organizers are able to receive exemptions from the federal and provincial health authorities.
Another important thing to consider is the fact that Sportsnet’s announcement is likely not the last. The uncertainties surrounding COVID-19 that additional cancellations are always possible. Until a vaccine is found, the status of the 2020-21 curling season is largely unknown, leaving the world’s top teams in limbo with less than 20 months left before the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Throughout the years Canada has been well represented on the international curling stage. In total, Canada has won a whopping 36 world men’s curling championships, 17 world women’s curling titles, and six Olympic gold medals.
Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018
With many of the sport’s biggest names having donned the red and white at some point in their career, it’s no easy task to craft a definitive list of the best of all time.
The list of the five greatest team Canada appearances is judged on more than just championship titles. To be considered one of the best of all time, these teams provided some of the most memorable performances in curling history. They are teams that are forever etched in the minds and hearts of Canadian curling fans.
5. Earnie Richardson: 1959, 1960, 1962 World Championships
Michael Burns Photography Ltd
It makes sense to start the list of best Team Canadas with the first ever world championship winning rink.
The Richardson foursome was comprised of Ernie and brother Garnet (Sam), and their counsins Arnold and Wes Richardson.
Together the Saskatchewan-based rink won three world titles in just four years, an impressive feat even in the early days of international Curling.
At the first ever World Championships in 1959, a five-draw series was held between Canada and hosts Scotland, to determine the title, with the Richardson rink winning handily 5-0.
4. Jennifer Jones: 2018 World Championships
Thank you for your support Canada! World Champs!!! #curling#wwcc2018 Thank you North Bay for EVERYTHING! From the fans, to volunteers, organizing committee, ice crew, WCF & Curling Canada, this is a week we will remember for a lifetime! Thank you! pic.twitter.com/Pj9XuhU1dq
Jennifer Jones arrived at the 2018 World Women’s Curling Championships in North Bay as the best ranked team in the world. Having missed February’s Winter Olympics following a disappointing trials performance, Jones likely felt as though she had a lot to prove in front of the home-crowd.
The Winnipeg-based rink dominated the round-robin, winning all twelve draws, and curling an impressive 85% throughout the week.
The Canadian women received a bye into the semi-finals, where they defeated Jamie Sinclair’s Team USA 9-7, setting up a date in the finals with Anna Hasselborg’s Team Sweden.
The gold-medal game was a tight affair between Canada and Sweden, with Jones’ rink starting things out with three straight blanked ends, followed by a score of two in the fourth.
With the game tied at six after ten ends of play, Jones was able to score a single in the extra-end and take home her second world title, in front of a record crowd at the North Bay Memorial Gardens.
The 2018 World’s also marked the final appearance of the legendary Manitoba foursome, as lead Jill Officer officially retired at the end of the season.
3. Brad Gushue: 2006 Winter Olympics
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Newfoundland’s Brad Gushue is currently one of curling’s biggest stars. In the last five years, Team Gushue has won three Brier titles and a World Championship.
At just 25 years of age, Gushue represented the sport’s rising crop of young talent. To get to the ’06 games, the Newfoundland rink defeated some of curling’s biggest names at the 2005 Olympic Trials.
In Turin, Team Canada started the tournament with a 6-3 record in the round-robin, placing second to Markku Uusipaavalniemi’s Team Finland.
In the 2v3 semi-final, Gushue’s rink handily got by Pete Fenson’s Team USA, 11-7, setting up a matchup with David Murdoch’s Team Britain in the final.
In the gold-medal game, Gushue’s squad downed Britain 8-6, to claim Canada’s first-ever Olympic men’s curling title.
Gushue’s gold medal winning performance was one of Canada’s most impressive of the ’06 games, and is still fondly remembered by Canadian curling fans.
2. Kevin Martin: 2010 Olympic Games
Rick Earnst/Canwest
Alberta’s Team Kevin Martin arrived at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver with the eyes of the nation on their back’s.
Despite the tremendous amount of pressure that comes with competing in an Olympic Games on home soil, Martin’s rink did not disappoint.
Team Canada started the tournament with an impressive 9-0 performance in the round-robin. After defeating Nicholas Edin’s team Sweden 6-3 in the semi-finals, Martin’s rink met Norway’s Thomas Ulsrud in the gold-medal game.
In front of a jam-packed crowd at the Vancouver Olympic Centre, Martin’s team downed Team Sweden 6-3, to win their first-ever Olympic gold medal.
With their win, Martin’s rink also became the first squad in the ten-team format to go undefeated throughout the tournament, an impressive feat for one of Canada’s most accomplished curlers .
1. Sandra Schmirler: 1998 Winter Olympics
Schmirler’s rink on the podium in Nagano, after defeating Denamrk 5-7 in the Gold Medal Game.
Saskacthewan’s Sandra Schmirler arrived at the ’98 Olympics in Nagano as one of the favourites to win the gold medal.
After winning five Scotties Tournament of Hearts titles, three World Championships, and a legendary performance at the 1997 Olympic trials (featuring “the shot“), Schmirler’s rink was one of the best in the world at the time.
Team Canada opened the tournament with an impressive performance in the round-robin, finishing atop the standings with an 6-1 record. In the semi-finals Schmirler defeated Britain’s Kristy Hay 6-5 to clinch a spot in the gold-medal match.
Schmirler’s rink faced Helena Blach Laverson’s Team Denmark in the finals. After Schmirler opened the game with a score of three-points in the first end, Team Canada proved to be too much for Laverson’s squad, with the Danish rink conceding after the ninth end.
Schmirler’s win marked Canada’s first ever Olympic curling title, and would become one of the highlights of Canada’s performance in Nagano.
Sadly, the win in Nagano marked Schmirler’s last major bonspiel win, as the skip tragically passed away from cancer in 2000.
Honourable Mentions: Kaitlyn Lawes/Johnny Morris (2018 Olympic Mixed Doubles), Jennifer Jones (2014 Winter Olympics), Jeff Stoughton (2011 World Championships), Rachel Homan (2017 World Championships) , Linda Moore (1988 Winter Olympics), Reid Carruthers/Joanne Courtney (2017 World Mixed-Doubles).
Fifth End Break 