Fresh off the biggest win of their career, Kerri Einarson and her team from Gimli, Man., are ready for the next challenge — being the home team at the 2020 World Women’s Curling Championship, presented by Nature’s Bounty Vitamins, beginning March 14 at CN Centre in Prince George.
Einarson, with teammates vice-skip Val Sweeting, second Shannon Birchard, lead Briane Meilleur, alternate Jennifer Clark-Rouire and coach Patti Wuthrich, captured the Scotties Tournament of Hearts title with a dramatic extra-end win over three-time Scotties and 2017 world champion Rachel Homan of Ontario on Sunday night in Moose Jaw, Sask.
With that win, Team Einarson will have the privilege of wearing the Maple Leaf in Prince George, where fans will be shouting themselves hoarse in support of the home team, and donning all manners of red and white outfits to show their support.
“It is an amazing feeling,” Einarson told Manitoba reporters when she returned home on Monday. “It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it and I can’t wait to wear that Maple Leaf on my back. Hopefully we can bring gold home for Canada.”
With lineups for Team Canada and the other 12 competing nations set, tickets demand will be high between now and Opening Day in Prince George — especially for Team Canada’s opening game, a 7 p.m. prime-time showdown on the opening Saturday, with Scottish superstar Eve Muirhead, a former world champ and Olympic bronze-medallist.
There are numerous ticket options available to suit any curling fan, and are available at the CN Centre box office, online at curling.ca/tickets or 1-888-293-6613.
Not only will a world title be up for grabs, Prince George will also be the first opportunity for countries to earn qualifying points for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, so the intensity level will be extremely high inside the CN Coliseum.
While many eyes will be on that Canada-Scotland showdown on Saturday night, it’s not too early to look ahead to what also stands to be a huge game for Einarson and Co. — a Thursday, March19, afternoon (2 p.m.) battle with reigning Olympic gold-medallist Anna Hasselborg of Sweden, a silver-medallist at the past two world women’s championships.
Team Canada will play 12 round-robin games, and the top six teams will make the playoffs, which get underway on Saturday, March 21. You can see the full schedule for the 2020 World Women’s Curling Championship by CLICKING HERE.
All 13 countries have now declared their teams for the 2020 World Women’s Curling Championship. Other teams include China’s Yu Han, Anna Kubeskova of the Czech Republic, Denmark’s Mathilde Halse, Germany’s Daniella Jentsch, Italy’s Veronica Zappone, Japan’s Satsuki Fujisawa, Russia’s Alina Kovaleva, South Korea’s Un Chi Gim, Switzerland’s Briar Huerlimann and Tabitha Peterson of the U.S.
In addition to being a part of World Women’s Championship inside the CN Centre you’ll also be a part of what will be B.C.’s biggest curling party, the World Famous Patch — just a few indoor steps away from the arena bowl at the Kin 1 Arena inside the CN Centre. You can check out live music, have a meal and mingle with players and fellow fans from all over Canada, and around the world.