Manitoba curling team shares World Women’s Curling Championship journey
Posted March 29, 2023 7:03 pm.
Kerri Einarson is back from the 2023 World Women’s Curling Championship in Sweden, and her team brought back a bronze for the second year in a row.
Einarson, from Gimli Manitoba, an hour north of Winnipeg, says the competition this year came to play. They finished with a 7-5 record, before losing in the semi-finals, but still picked up bronze in an 8-5 win over the hosting Swedes.
“It feels pretty amazing to bring home a medal, I know we went there to bring home gold but to bring home bronze is pretty special,” said Einarson.
Team Einarson at the World Women’s Curling Championship in Sweden. (Photo Credit: World Curling Federation)
“It was a big learning curve for us, and our first time playing on the world stage overseas – it was an amazing experience and to bring home bronze is very special.”
Team Switzerland went undefeated in 14 games to capture gold. Einarson’s rink lost to them by merely a point, and despite showing tremendous respect for the Swiss, she says the game could have gone their way.
She says she’d love to see schedule changes in Canadian curling to allow for more than two weeks of tournament prep.
“I think we just need a little bit more time between the Scotties and the worlds to be able to adjust for that,” she explained.
Team Einarson at the World Women’s Curling Championship in Sweden. (Photo Credit: World Curling Federation)
Einarson was joined by Manitoban’s Shannon Birchard, Krysten Karwacki and Briane Harris, and Alberta’s Val Sweeting. Harris was playing on the world’s largest curling stage, while more than 6 months pregnant.
“She’s so strong, and so stubborn! She was sweeping and making her shots, playing really well – she was tired but didn’t complain about it, she was amazing.”
Also on the grand stage – the Manitoba Metis Federations logo. Einarson, a Metis athlete, says that meant the world to her.
Team Einarson at the World Women’s Curling Championship in Sweden. (Photo Credit: World Curling Federation)
“Every time I looked up and saw that flag behind my sheet – it was an absolute honour to see that because I’m very proud of my background.”
Einarson is aiming for gold again next tournament. Until then, she’s getting up early, and driving her two daughters to their own bonspiels.
“They’ve been curling since they’ve been three years old and, they’re getting really good and I hope one day maybe I can curl with them.”
