The Scotties sa国际传媒 Women鈥檚 Curling Championship is yet to begin, but the province already has a representative heading to the national championship, set for Feb. 18-28 in Grande Prairie, Alta.
Two, in fact.
Victoria鈥檚 Steph Jackson-Baier will be playing third for Nicole Baldwin鈥檚 victorious Yukon rink, which includes second Rhonda Horte, lead Ladene Shaw, alternate Sandra Mikkelsen and coach Georgina Wheatcroft, formerly of Vancouver Island and now from the Langley area.
The Baldwin rink defeated Jenna Duncan鈥檚 foursome in a best-of-three playdown on Saturday and Sunday at the Whitehorse Curling Club. Duncan won the first game 9-6 before Baldwin claimed the next two 9-8 in an extra end and 11-6.
Yukon is now part of the pre-qualifying tournament at the Scotties, which will begin Feb. 18.
In a strange twist of fate, one of the teams Jackson-Baier and her new teammates will have to defeat to advance to the main portion of nationals will be the eventual sa国际传媒 rep, along with Nunavut and Northwest Territories.
sa国际传媒 was relegated into the pre-qualifier when Patti Knezevic finished 1-10 at the 2015 Scotties.
鈥淗eading into this new adventure I was prepared for that. We鈥檙e going to be playing sa国际传媒 and I鈥檒l likely know the girls very well. I鈥檓 looking forward to the opportunity,鈥� said an elated Jackson-Baier, who returned home late Sunday night.
鈥淚鈥檓 really excited,鈥� she said of her third trip to the Scotties, having played third for Kesa Van Osch鈥檚 sa国际传媒 rink in 2014 and was the alternate for Kelley Law鈥檚 2007 sa国际传媒 representative. Wheatcroft played third on that 2007 team and has competed in eight Scotties, winning nationals and worlds in 2000 and also earning bronze at the 2002 Olympics.
鈥淕eorgina has had a lot of great experiences. She has a wealth of knowledge and it鈥檚 great that this team has really embraced her,鈥� said Jackson-Baier, whose original team this season 鈥� which was playing out of Royal City Curling Club 鈥� was forced to disband after injuries to skip Kristy Lewis and third Jody Maskiewich.
That was in mid-October.
鈥淣icole called in late-October and said, 鈥榃hat about this opportunity?鈥� 鈥� Jackson-Baier said of teaming up with Baldwin, who she knew from junior competitions. Jackson-Baier jumped at the chance, which allows provinces or territories to officially bring in one player from out of region.
鈥淲e鈥檝e kept in touch ever since,鈥� said Jackson-Baier.
鈥淲e were truly a second-half team all weekend. In all three games we were down at the fifth-end break. We were definitely a resilient team,鈥� said the 29-year-old, who along with husband Chris Baier, is enjoying life with son Ben, who is seven months old and a regular visitor at the Victoria Curling Centre.
