Three teams who represented Manitoba in the 2026 Olympic qualifying process are the top three seeds in CurlManitoba’s RME Women of the Rings Championship presented by Case IH. The three are all ranked in Canada’s top 12 on the Canadian Team Ranking System (CTRS).
The top seeded team in the event which takes place at the Riverview Community Centre in Rivers, beginning December 30, is skipped by Kaitlyn Lawes-Heather. The five-time Manitoba Women’s champion is supported by Selena Njegovan, Jocelyn Peterman, Kristin Gordon and Coach Marcel Roque.
The Lawes team qualified for the championship based on their 2024-25 CTRS ranking. They started this season strong, winning an early season Edmonton event, they have qualified in two other events since and are ranked #6 on CTRS.
The second seed, as determined by the competing teams, is the defending champion Kate Cameron-Ste. Adolphe team. Cameron returns with Brianne Harris added to the line-up along with returning Taylor McDonald and Mackenzie Elias. They are coached by Derek Samagalski.
Team Cameron has qualified in five events this season with two finalist finishes. They are the 11th ranked CTRS team.
The top two seeds both competed in the Canadian Curling Trials while the third seed was a Pre-Trials competitor team.
The third seed is last year’s finalist Beth Peterson-Assiniboine Memorial returning with the same line-up (Kelsey Calvert, Katherine Remillard, Melissa Gordon-Kurz). A year ago, Team Peterson lost the RME Women’s final 7-6, tied coming home with Team Cameron. The year previous, Team Peterson had lost 9-8 to Kaitlyn Lawes in the final.
Team Peterson won the CurlManitoba Berth Bonspiel to qualify for this year’s championship and are currently ranked #12 on CTRS. They have a championship, a finalist finish and a semi-finalist finish on their records this year.
The next two seeds are #4 Lisa McLeod – Pembina (Christine MacKay, Emily Cerwinski, Jolene Callum, Coach Lyall Hudson), winners of an MCT Berth and #5 Kristy Watling – East St. Paul (Laura Burtnyk, Emily Deschenes, Sarah Pyke), winners of a berth at the CurlManitoba Berth Bonspiel.
McLeod’s team is ranked #20 and Watling is #21 on the CTRS.
Hailey McFarlane’s Rivers team will be the home-town favourite in the Riverview Community Centre Arena while rural teams from Carberry (Alyssa Calvert) and Manitou (Cheyenne Ehnes) will also attract Westman curling fans.
Along with the teams from Pembina and Assiniboine Memorial, there is a single entry from Winnipeg’s Granite Club (Lane Prokopowich). With Watling from East St. Paul is the Rachel Kaatz entry. With Lawes from the Heather are the Sarah Jane Sass and Darcy Robertson teams.
Robertson will be competing in her record 29th Manitoba Women’s Championship. The three-time champion (2009, 2003, 1986) and 6-time finalist (most recently in 2018) has played more provincial championship games (211) and won more games (136) than any other Manitoba Women’s competitor.
