A quartet of friends is coming to Big Rock Country to once again try to master the roaring game.
“The Masters is the longest-standing Grand Slam event for women’s curling other than the Players Championship,” said Emma Miskew, third for the Rachel Homan rink.
“It’s just exciting because it’s early in the year and we are pretty motivated to get out there, but I have no specific reason why we have been successful.
“It’s a fun event and we are looking forward to getting out there.”
The Homan rink has won the Masters three of the past four years and will be back to defend its title when the first-event of the Grand Slam series goes at the Pason Centennial Arena Oct. 25-30.
One of the reasons it is so successful is the foursome is a close-knit group who all happen to be some of the best women in the world at throwing a 40-pound hunk of granite down a sheet of pebbled ice.
While some rinks change members like Canadians changing tires - every winter - the Homan rink has been relatively rock solid.
Miskew has been Homan’s third since they won four consecutive Ontario Bantam titles from 2004-’07, while lead Lisa Weagle has been with the team since 2010. Second Joanne Courtney is entering her third year with the team.
“We just got really lucky, when we were young to find each other,” Miskew said. “I think that definitely helps the more you know the people you are playing with the easier it is to communicate with them out there. Rachel and I got the opportunity to grow up together and learn how to win together. We can take that experience and bring that into our game…There is not a lot of turnover. We like our team and we like to keep it consistent.”
The Homan rink won the 2013 and 2014 Canadian Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
It had a hiccup, for them, despite winning the Masters last year. It missed making it to the Canadian Scotties, losing at the Ontario level to Jenn Hanna. It was the first time the team had not been at the Scotties since 2012.
“Last year was a bit of a weird year with the new equipment (the brooms) and figuring out how to use that equipment,” Miskew said. “It is always tough to lose, but you can’t win every time. We got our Olympic qualifying spot last year, which is important.
“Now we are looking forward.”
With the WFG Masters producing valuable points for the Canadian 2018 Olympic qualifying tournament the field is strong.
That includes those curlers who wouldn’t be wearing a maple leaf on their shirts at the Olympics.
Miskew said the rinks in Okotoks next week are the top 15 in the world, which includes 2014 Olympic gold medallist Jennifer Jones, last year’s Scotties champion Chelsea Carey and defending world champion Switzerland’s Binia Feltscher who beat Homan in the world finals in 2014.
The men’s field includes defending Masters champion Mike McEwen, reigning World champion Kevin Koe and 2014 Olympic gold medallist Brad Jacobs and fan-favourite Brad Gushue out of Newfoundland.
“There won’ be any surprises, everybody there deserves to be there,” Miskew said. “We don’t take anyone lightly that is for sure.”
The WFG Masters runs Oct. 25-30 with the finals taking place on the Sunday. Prior to the men’s final match there will be an exhibition match between two pairs of boys and girls rinks from the Okotoks area.
Tickets for the WFG Masters have become a hot commodity. For information on the draw and for tickets go to www.okotokscurling.com
