Manitoba’s Kerri Einarson has now earned three consecutive curling gold medals in three tries.
Einarson won her first gold medal at the 2020 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, then defended that title this year after the 2020 Women’s World Curling Championship was cancelled due to the pandemic. After winning the Scotties, Einarson stayed in the Covid bubble in Calgary to compete in the 2021 Canadian Mixed Doubles Championship, which she won with partner Brad Gushue of Newfoundland.
That success spurred a CTV sportscaster to call her the “Golden Girl of Gimli.”
“Oh, I’ve got a new nickname,” Einarson said from Gimli. “Cool.”
Winning her second gold medallion in a discipline she had never attempted before was a pleasant surprise.
“It’s just crazy,” Einarson said. “I never thought (winning two gold medals in one season) could happen.
“It feels absolutely amazing. I didn’t expect this. My first time ever playing mixed doubles, and sweeping on top of that, and judging (the speed of the rocks), I’m really proud of myself, and Brad.”
Now, Einarson is in position to win an unprecedented third gold in one season when she skips her squad in the women’s world championship, which will also be held in the Calgary bubble, April 30 to May 9. She could even win a possible fourth when she joins Gushue at the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship in Aberdeen, Scotland, May 17 to 23.
“(Winning four gold) would be a dream-come-true,” Einarson said.
But where she finishes in both world championships has an added importance. Although Einarson had previously earned a berth in the Canadian Olympic trials, her team must finish in the top six in the Worlds to ensure that Canada will be keep a spot in the 2022 Winter Olympics. Einarson and Gushue, who also earned a Mixed Double Trials berth, must also finish in the top seven in the worlds to assure Canada spot at the Olympics.
Meanwhile, Einarson plans to spend the next couple of weeks resting and spending time with her husband, Kyle (a commercial fisherman) and her seven-year-old twin daughters before hitting the pebbled ice again, starting back in the Calgary bubble.
“I leave April 11 for the (two) Grand Slams, then stay for the Worlds, then fly to Scotland right after the Worlds,” Einarson said. “So, I’ll be gone for about a month and a half. It’s going to be challenging.”
Einarson did consider skipping one of the Slams, but that would have been too much time off the ice for her team with most of the curling clubs closed due to the pandemic. Going in and out the bubble, with all of its COVID-19 restrictions, would not have been ideal, either.
Einarson credited her understanding husband – also a competitive curler — and bosses at the care home where she works.
“They’ve allowed me to chase my dreams,” she said.
BITERS: Einarson and Gushue defeated Gimli’s Colton Lott and Kadriana Sahaidak – Einarson’s friends — in the mixed doubles final, earning $50,000. “They’re a great team and are going to represent Canada very well.” Sahaidak told media on a Curling Canada Zoom scrum. “We want her to succeed and are very happy for them. But, of course, we wanted it to be us.” The silver medallists pocketed $25,000 … Gushue said the victory made amends for failing to defend his Brier title. “To follow that up with a good performance here kind of makes up for all of the crappy stuff over the last year. I had a ton of fun this week.”
