The Hope Curling Club hosted some high-end curlers last weekend, with one local team hoping to win a spot in the 16-team BC mixed doubles championship, in Abbotsford at the end of the month.
Long-time Hope curler, Deb McKinney and her on and off-ice partner Terry Foord went up against the eventual A-event winners, Sarah Daniels and Brayden Carpenter in their first match.
“Sarah was the skip for B.C. at the Canadian Juniors and they lost in the final to Alberta,” said McKinney.
“We figured we’d have the home ice advantage — and we actually got four points in the first end — but they caught on to the ice pretty quickly and we lost 8-6.”
Having only two players on the team makes for some interesting job-sharing, said McKinney. Who sweeps? Do you really need a spotter? She and Foord had never played the doubles game, in a competitive setting.
“It’s a very fast pace,” said McKinney. “You’re always moving, always thinking.”
Hope’s twosome also lost 8-6 in their next game and were sidelined by the double knockout. The B-final winners, from Nelson, had an amusing name: ‘Little and Small.’ It would be great to see Kristina Little and Nathan Small atop the leader board at the B.C. final.
Next up for the Hope club is the annual Mixed Bonspiel, Feb. 22 to 24, followed by the “Roaming Spiel” on March 1-3.
“A lot of clubs have lost their women’s leagues, so a group of women have created a roaming spiel, to bring womens’ events back,” said McKinney. “This year, Hope is the venue.”
