Abbreviated versions of established team sports, once seen as mere novelty spin-offs, have become legitimate in their own right as fans have grown to appreciate the rapid-fire action.
The Langford-based Canadian men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 rugby sevens teams have qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Scheduled to make its Summer Games debut at Tokyo is three-on-three basketball.
Mixed doubles curling made its Olympic debut at the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. It seems Islanders are good at this pared-down version of the sport.
The duo of Steph Jackson-Baier and Corey Chester won the sa国际传媒 mixed doubles championship in Hope this week with a 6-3 victory in an all-Island final against fellow Victoria Curling Club players Carley Sandwith and Cam de Jong.
鈥淚t鈥檚 different and new and we鈥檙e learning as we go,鈥� said Jackson-Baier.
It鈥檚 an amped up version of the sport, for sure.
鈥淭wo people have to do the work of four,鈥� said Jackson-Baier.
鈥淎ll shots are skip shots. It鈥檚 so fast. And it鈥檚 athletic, as well, because everybody has to sweep.鈥�
The bronze-medal duo also had an Island flavour with Victoria junior curler Kayla Wilson teaming with Troy Cowan of Delta. Other Islanders in the 16-team sa国际传媒 championship included Sasha Wilson and Duncan Silversides, both of Victoria, and Karly King Simpson and Connar Croteau of Victoria and Campbell River.
Jackson-Baier and Chester advance to the Canadian mixed-doubles championship, where they will represent sa国际传媒, from March 17 to 22 in Portage La Prairie, Man.
鈥淭his is just as special as my other [eight] sa国际传媒 titles in what we are now calling traditional curling,鈥� said the 33-year-old Jackson-Baier.
鈥淚t鈥檚 my first provincial championship in six years. It鈥檚 nice to get back to the national level.鈥�
Mixed doubles is played over eight ends instead of the regular 10. Each team has six stones in mixed doubles with one of those stones from each team placed on the centre line before every end. One player delivers the first and final rocks of the end while the other player throws the second, third and fourth stones. Both players on a team can sweep.
鈥淔ans were surprised in Pyeongchang at how much they liked it,鈥� said Elaine Dagg-Jackson of Victoria, who has coached sa国际传媒 in curling at six Winter Olympics.
鈥淭here鈥檚 nowhere to hide in mixed doubles. Both players have to make skip-style shots. It elevates your overall game because every player has to make every type of shot. Internationally, it鈥檚 another medal opportunity in curling, which for sa国际传媒 is great.鈥�
Those who came to the podium in Hope, however, did so with considerable pedigree in the regular version of the sport. Jackson-Baier was the 2014 sa国际传媒 Scotties provincial women鈥檚 champion and is a five-time sa国际传媒 junior women鈥檚 champion. Add in a previous provincial championship from traditional fours mixed curling, and it was Jackson Baier鈥檚 eighth overall sa国际传媒 title. She is the daughter of Dagg-Jackson, former world junior men鈥檚 champion Glen Jackson and the grand-daughter of former Brier and world champion Lyall Dagg.
Chester, meanwhile, was two-time sa国际传媒 junior men鈥檚 champion in 2012 and 2013 and the provincial juvenile champion in 2007.
鈥淲e are jelling together as a team,鈥� said Jackson-Baier.
Next up for Jackson-Baier 鈥� and in keeping with the familial theme 鈥� is to team up with husband Chris Baier, Chester and Sandwith to compete as a VCC rink in the regular fours sa国际传媒 mixed championship in Abbotsford next month.
