By Jim Bender
The ‘Golden Girl of Gimli’ has just added to her lustre.
Kerri Einarson clipped Northern Ontario’s Krista McCarville 9-6 in the Scotties Tournament of Hearts final in Thunder Bay, Ont., to win her third straight Canadian women’s curling championship.
“It feels absolutely amazing,” Einarson told TSN right after the game. “Three back-to-back titles is tough, and I give it to my team. They played absolutely amazing all week.”
That Gimli team of third Val Sweeting, second Shannon Birchard, lead Briane Meilleur and alternate Krysten Karwacki will join the skipper in Prince George, B.C., March 19-27 for the women’s world curling championship.
When Einarson won her first Canadian crown, her team was supposed to play in the world championship in Prince George but the pandemic closed it down after the team had already gotten there.
“I just want a chance to play in Prince George in Canada,” said Einarson, who had beaten New Brunswick’s Andrea Crawford in the semifinal. “So, I’m super excited to go to Prince George and play this time.”
Einarson also credited new coach Reid Carruthers for helping to turn their season around.
“We brought Reid in, and he’s definitely kept things light for us,” she said.
Carruthers has now won both a men’s and women’s Canadian curling championship.
Einarson’s third consecutive Canadian title puts her in elite company. Only Manitoba’s Jennifer Jones, Nova Scotia’s Colleen Jones (with four) and Saskatchewan’s Vera Pezer have win three straight previously.
Carruthers, who plays third for Manitoba’s top-seeded Mike McEwen, will next compete in the Viterra men’s provincial championship that starts at the Selkirk Curling Club on Feb. 9.
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