WINNIPEG -- It may have been an emotional roller coaster ride to get here, but on the ice, Kerri Einarson and her team have been coasting inside the Calgary bubble ahead of the rescheduled 2021 Women’s World Curling Championship; successfully defending their Scotties Championship, and Player’s Championship at last week’s Grand Slam event.
“Having won the Player’s Championship last week, it definitely gives us momentum going into the Worlds and we are very excited to start.” Einarson said Tuesday ahead of her first World Championship.
“In that final game, we played really well so it's something to carry forward."
While Team Einarson is looking for its third gold medal as a team, Kerri is looking for her fourth gold in 2021, having won the Canadian Mixed Doubles with teammate Brad Gushue in March, in her first appearance at the event.
With last year’s World Women's Curling Championship cancelled because of the pandemic, Einarson’s Gimili, MB rink had to win a second straight Scotties title to requalify for this year’s event.
“We’re definitely going to embrace it,” Einarson said.
We’re going to be off social media, we’re just going to focus on ourselves and Team Einarson and not putting that pressure on ourselves because we’re just going to go out there and do what we love and do our thing.”
The team went 6-1 at last week’s Player’s Championship and never trailed in the championship draw against Rachel Homan's team.
While it’s their first time representing Canada on the world stage, they face a familiar foe to open the tournament, taking on two-time World Championship finalists Team Anna Hasselborg of Sweden, who Einarson beat 5-4 in the 2019 Player’s Championship final, and again by the same score in the 2021 semifinal of the tournament. The teams meet on Friday.
“It’s definitely not an easy one, that’s for sure. But we played them last week and we know what it takes, we’re going to have to perform against them and we’re going to have to be strong.” Einarson said about the tournament opener.
Earlier this week the International Curling Federation announced it received positive COVID-19 tests among players who will be competing at the Women’s World Championships, but has not announced any schedule changes as of yet.
“When I woke up the other morning (upon hearing the news), I was like, ‘oh no,’ but I knew that it wasn’t in our bubble here so I know that it would still be a go. You never want to hear of positive cases and you just want to be sure that everyone is healthy and safe,” said Einarson.
