Canadian mixed doubles curlers in flux, air thoughts on Olympic selection process
Top national players say trial cancellation illuminates issues with scheduling, selection
The cancellation of the mixed doubles curling trials has generated a wide variety of emotions among players — illuminating a handful of issues, particularly about scheduling and the selection process as a whole.
The team that will be sent to Beijing will now be chosen by Curling Canada, the Canadian Olympic Committee and Own the Podium.
News of the revelation has left a lot of players in limbo as to how a team will be chosen and how to prepare in case they are chosen.
"It's a tough subject, that's for sure," Kerri Einarson said on CBC Sports' That Curling Show. "Teams are going to be hurt either way, so I'm definitely glad I'm not making that decision. There'll be lots of different feedback from a whole bunch of players I'm sure, and everyone wants to go."
WATCH | Einarson hopes to be selected for Olympic mixed doubles:
The announcement of the cancellation came on Dec. 26, following a rise in COVID-19 cases among players, with the event scheduled to run from Dec. 28 to Jan. 2 in Portage la Prairie, Man.
Considering the narrow three week timeframe athletes have before flying to Beijing, questions are being asked why trials were scheduled so close to the Winter Games.
"COVID's put a spotlight on this, that having it this close leaves you with no contingency plan, you can't reschedule it," said Chelsea Carey.
"But also, it doesn't give the team any time to rest and recover and then properly prep. It doesn't allow our teams to be included in any of the Olympic marketing because they don't know in time, where most of the sport's decided way sooner."
Who can, should be selected?
Among the most debated topics ahead of selection have been the application of the point system in place for top teams, while experience is also a factor some think should be a primary consideration.
Currently, Brett Gallant and Jocelyn Peterman are at the top of the leaderboard, but both players are already set to compete at the Olympics for the men's and women's teams.
In second is the duo of Jennifer Jones and Brent Laing, with Tyrel Griffith and Nancy Martin in third, John Epping and Lisa Weagle in fourth and reigning Olympic champion John Morris, along with his new partner, Rachel Homan in fifth.
Einarson, who won the national title in March with Brad Gushue, is in 23rd with new partner Brad Jacobs.
"You look at, CTRS [Canadian Team Ranking System] standings. Those teams that put in all that time to play mixed doubles, and for me, I unfortunately don't have that time to play both," Einarson said. "It's tough … Those teams that put in that time also deserve to go.
"As myself being the Canadian defending champ, and I know people might just look and say 'she's just played two events,' but I did really well in both of them. So it's a toss up, it's a difficult decision."
WATCH | Wayne, Kim Tuck want Curling Canada to make decision:
For Wayne and Kim Tuck, who pulled out after testing positive for COVID-19, the pair had mixed opinions on who and how the teams should be selected.
"Bringing in [the] COC and Own the Podium — honestly, I think it's a scapegoat for Curling Canada. Let them make a decision and they don't have to look at points and what everybody's done before," Wayne said.
For Kim, it's more about having a mixed doubles team rather than a team that's already headed for the Olympics.
"I don't think you need to pull a team from the four-person already," she said. "I think Nancy and Ty deserve to go based on the fact that they're the highest ranked CMDR [Canadian Mixed Doubles Ranked] team, but I actually think that the pick will be Johnny Mo and Rachel, and I think that that will go to what they think is important and that's going to be Olympic experience."
Of the top five in the ranking system, only the duo of Griffith and Martin don't have at least one player already going to the Games, and from Griffith's view, he simply hopes whatever the decision is, that it helps the mixed doubles program.
"I'd really like to see, whatever selection is made, [that] it has a mixed doubles impact," Griffith said. "I really think there's an opportunity in Canada for us to grow the mixed doubles game. I'm fairly new to it, I've only been playing mixed doubles for four years, this is my first full Olympic cycle.
"For the future, I'd love to see tons of growth in this area and I think this decision could weigh heavily on that and the teams that are supporting mixed doubles are also going to be watching this decision."
WATCH | That Curling Show, full episode:
