The final tickets have been punched for the 2018 Scotties B.C. Women’s Curling Championship.
Women’s curling playdowns in Kelowna saw three teams qualify for the provincial championship, which takes place at Victoria Curling Club from Jan. 2-7, 2018.
The winners of the Victoria event will represent B.C. at the 2018 Scotties Canadian Women’s Curling Championship in Penticton, Jan. 27-Feb. 4, at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
The A Event qualifiers were Team Ludwar, from Kelowna Curling Club. The team of skip Randi Ludwar, third Lori Seemann, second Erinn Bartlett and lead Jill McIntyre were a newly formed team this fall.
The B Event qualifiers were Team Gyles from Royal City and Cloverdale curling clubs. The team is made up of skip Kayte Gyles, third Shawna Jensen, second Caitlin Campbell and lead Amanda Tipper.
The C event qualifiers were Team Van Osch, from Nanaimo Curling Centre. The team is made up of three sisters from Nanaimo and one curler from Vancouver. Skip Kesa, third Marika and second Kalia Van Osch hail from Nanaimo and lead Amy Gibson hails from Vancouver. Kesa, Marika and Kalia have all been provincial champions at the junior level, with Kesa also winning the women’s championship in 2014.
Earlier in December saw playdowns take place at Hope Curling Club. Team Slattery, from Vernon Curling Club, were the A Event qualifiers in those playdowns. The team of fourth Alyssa Kyllo, third Kelsi Jones, second Morgayne Eby and skip Kim Slattery (throwing lead rocks) is coached by Mark Longworth.
The Kamloops/Golden Ears Winter Club team of Karla Thompson were the B Event qualifiers. The team features third Kristen Recksiedler, second Shannon Joanisse, lead Trysta Vandale, and Olympian and world champion Diane Dezura as alternate. Three of the players were the B.C. Scotties champions in 2016 and Joanisse was part of the Mallett rink that won in 2017.
The Holly Donaldson rink representing Vancouver and Victoria curling clubs was the third team to qualify. The rink were bronze medalists at last year’s B.C. Scotties when the team was skipped by Lindsay Hudyma, who plays second this year. The team is rounded out by 2014 B.C. Scotties champions Steph Jackson-Baier and Carley Sandwith. The team is coached by Georgina Wheatcroft, a two-time world champion and Olympian from 2002.
The two women’s teams to have qualified already based on their Canadian Team Ranking System (CTRS) points Team Brown, from Kamloops Curling Club and Team Gushulak, from Royal City Curling Club in New Westminster.