Homan, Fleury combo off to winning start for Ontario at Tournament of Hearts
Rachel Homan’s experiment received off to a winning start at the Canadian girls’s curling championship Saturday.
Eyebrows raised when one of probably the most adorned skips in Canadian girls’s curling handed one other girl the broom forward of this season.
With Tracy Fleury calling photographs and Homan throwing fourth stones, Ontario’s first recreation of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts was a 12-3 win over Stacie Curtis of Newfoundland and Labrador.
“It’s simply wonderful to get one other phenomenal, skilled skip on the group and much of nice curling IQ on the market,” Homan mentioned following the win.
“It helps to make extra photographs and get extra opinions on the market and discover the correct shot each time.”
Additionally within the match’s second draw Saturday afternoon, North Ontario’s Krista McCarville prevailed 11-8 in a see-saw battle with six-time champion Jennifer Jones of Manitoba.
McCarville reached final yr’s closing in her hometown of Thunder Bay, Ont., and misplaced to Kerri Einarson.
Kerry Galusha of Northwest Territories picked up a 6-4 win over New Brunswick’s Andrea Kelly, who was the bronze medallist in Thunder Bay.
Casey Scheidegger’s wild-card group from Lethbridge, Alta., defeated one other wild card, Meghan Walter of East St. Paul, Man., 5-3.
Einarson, B.C.’s Clancy Grandy, Nova Scotia’s Christina Black and Kaitlyn Lawes’ wild-card group have been additionally 1-0 after Friday night’s opening draw.
Whereas a group’s identify is usually the roller who skips, Ontario’s foursome has chosen to stay Group Homan, which is a reputation with appreciable curling clout.
Homan skipped groups to three Canadian championships — reaching the ultimate in three others — a world championship and an Olympic trials win to put on the Maple Leaf within the 2018 Winter Video games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
She and John Morris represented Canada in combined doubles in Beijing.
Fleury of Sudbury, Ont., got here inside a hair of representing Canada in girls’s curling within the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Jones stole a degree in an additional finish to beat Fleury within the trials closing in Saskatoon.
Fleury, Liz Fyfe, Selena Njegovan and Kristin MacCuish reached the playoffs of final yr’s Hearts earlier than the world’s No. 2 group disbanded.
With front-end participant Joanne Courtney taking a breather from curling, Homan recruited Fleury to name photographs and throw third stones, and shifted longtime vice Emma Miskew to second.
Homan is ranked No. 2 each in Canada and the world behind Einarson heading into the Hearts.
“We knew Tracy was the entire bundle,” Homan mentioned. “Wonderful perspective, wonderful shooter, she’s received big-weight accuracy. She will be able to make soft-weight photographs.
“She’s an all-around participant you’ll be able to put anyplace. She discovered an incredible spot for her main the crew and retaining us in verify and it’s been nice.”
The transfer meant a reallocation of Homan’s curling energies in a recreation.
“It simply modifications your roles and duties on the ice. I don’t suppose it freed up something,” mentioned the 33-year-old from Ottawa.
“I variety of let her take the reins on the technique. Not all my power is used there. I’m utilizing a bit extra with sweeping and judging and serving to the opposite ladies make their photographs within the hack.
“Specializing in totally different areas and difficult your self in numerous methods has been a extremely enjoyable transition.”
Homan and Fleury establishing efficient on-ice communication was key in getting to this yr’s Hearts.
“Simply being open and sincere with one another, studying from one another, studying one another’s energy, we really feel we preserve getting stronger because the season goes on,” Fleury mentioned.
After which there’s sweeping, which Homan does quite a bit of for the primary time in her profession.
“We practice yearly, however just a bit extra centered to be sure totally different muscle mass have been beefed up just a little bit greater than others, and check out to keep away from damage proper?” Homan mentioned.
“Haven’t executed a protracted 10-end occasion but. Provincials have been fairly lengthy, however I do know it is a little bit longer and I do know will probably be a tricky week.”
Curtis shaking arms after eight ends at the Sandman Centre each conserved Homan’s gasoline and gave pregnant lead Sarah Wilkes a breather.
Wilkes sat out the sixth and seventh ends, which gave alternate Kira Brunton some reps.
“We have been proud of the sport we put collectively in the present day,” Fleury mentioned. “My teammates performed rather well. We really feel like we received a very good deal with on the ice.
“The ice is de facto good on the market. We found out what it was doing in order that provides to confidence.”
In the meantime, McCarville threw a tough double takeout along with her closing stone of the tenth finish for the win over Jones.
“A really intense recreation, very forwards and backwards, quite a bit of rocks in play, however we all know that’s the best way she likes to play,” McCarville mentioned.
“I feel Jones will get higher and higher because the week goes on, so enjoying them early I feel was good.
“Stepping into to it we mentioned one purpose was to get our draw weight and I believed we did rather well with that in the present day.”
Extra from Sportsnet
2023 Scotties Tournament of Hearts: Scores, standings and schedule
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