WINNIPEG – Second chances don’t come very often in life but a handful of the nations top curlers are getting another opportunity for an entry to the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.
Even though Manitoba teams were completely shut out at the Roar Of The Rings, all is not lost, as many are getting another shot at the Olympics in the new event of mixed doubles.
Reid Carruthers lost his mixed doubles partner Joanne Courtney, when Rachel Homan’s team won the women’s trials just over a week ago. But Carruthers didn’t have to look far for a replacement with another one of the world’s top seconds in Jill Officer up for the challenge.
“It’s been a little bit hard to wrap my head around the fact that I might have another shot to go to the Olympics,” Officer said.
“But Reid sent me a text after Homan’s team won and I was super excited about the opportunity.”
“We’ve been friends for a long time,” Carruthers said.
“So the chemistry component is not something I was all that worried about. The biggest thing is nailing down the communication and getting used to the tendencies on the sheet.”
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And getting prepared for another Olympic Trials so quickly has helped take the sting out of missing out at the team trials.
“It’s kind of weird.” she said. “Because still disappointed about not being able to win the women’s event and it was such a grind for us, so I think there’s definitely still some emotion and feeling to deal with there.”
18 teams will be competing for just the one Olympic berth and the Officer/Carruthers duo is one of five teams to need a replacement since the end of the Roar Of The Rings.
“It’s gonna be catch-up anytime you have a new partner, new teammate, no matter what the sport is.” Carruthers said.
Officer will be going up against her longtime skip, with the new tag team to face Jennifer Jones and her new partner Mark Nichols in their very first game of the trials.
“It’s certainly a little bit different playing against your normal teammates,” Officer said. “But I wish the best for my teammates in the event as well.”
The Canadian Mixed Doubles Curling Trials begin on January 2 in Portage.
Manitoba teams qualified for Mixed Doubles Trials
Jill Officer / Reid Carruthers
Jennifer Jones / Mark Nichols
Kaitlyn Lawes / John Morris
Dawn McEwen / Mike McEwen
Chelsea Carey / Colin Hodgson
Shannon Birchard / Jason Gunnlaugson
RELATED: No Olympic encore for Team Jennifer Jones, eliminated in trials semifinal
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