Mixed Doubles Curling Trials cancelled due to rising COVID-19 cases
Curling Canada is cancelling the 2022 Mixed Doubles Curling Trials due to a variety of reasons regarding COVID-19.
In a news release Sunday morning, Curling Canada said it is cancelling the tournament due to a rise in positive tests for COVID-19 among athletes who were scheduled to attend and the risks associated with travelling.
The event was scheduled to begin on Tuesday at Stride Place in Portage la Prairie, Man., and was to decide Canada's mixed doubles team for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Curling Canada said it looked at making a bubble for the athletes, but a lack of prep time and the rise of the Omicron variant made it impossible to create.
"There was just no feasible way to do this in a safe and responsible manner for everyone that was going to be involved in the event," said Al Cameron, Curling Canada's director of communications.
The curling organization said it would consult with the Canadian Olympic Committee and Own the Podium to decide the best process to nominate a Canadian mixed doubles team that will compete in China. It said an announcement of the nominated team will be made when the process is complete.
"I would characterize it as disappointment but understanding as well under the circumstances," said Cameron when asked about how the athletes are feeling.
Curling Canada said it is working with health authorities for the remaining 2021-22 season and remains optimistic that its championship events can be played.
Canada is the defending Olympic champion in mixed doubles, which made its debut in 2018 in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
John Morris and Kaitlyn Lawes captured for the first gold medal awarded in the discipline.
Arrangements are being made for 2022 Mixed Doubles Curling Trials ticket-holders to be refunded.
-With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'He's in our hearts': Family and friends still seek answers one year after Nathan Wise’s disappearance
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
Wildfire near Fort McMurray more than triples overnight, several evacuation alerts remain in place
The fire burning near Fort McMurray grew from 25 hectares to 5,500 hectares over the weekend.
Putin replaces Russian defence minister in rare cabinet shakeup
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin began a Cabinet shakeup on Sunday, proposing the replacement of Sergei Shoigu as defence minister as he begins his fifth term in office.
Suspect sought after fatal slashing in downtown Toronto
Police are searching for a suspect in a homicide investigation after a man was slashed in downtown Toronto on Sunday.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Edibles, armchairs and adapters: Here are the recalls for this week
Health Canada announced various product recalls this week, including electric adapters, armchairs, cannabis edibles and vehicle components.