Birt rink wins provincial women’s curling championship over defending champion

(by Mitch MacDonald)

CORNWALL — Suzanne Birt’s dream came true Monday.

The Summerside native won the Scotties Tournament of Hearts provincial women’s curling championship, beating defending champion, and last year’s national runner-up, Kathy O’Rourke 7-3.

Both rinks curl out of the Charlottetown Curling Club.

Other members of the Birt rink are third Shelly Bradley, second Robyn MacPhee, lead Leslie MacDougall and coach Paul Power.

The O’Rourke rink includes third Geri-Lynn, second Erin  Carmody (who throws skip stones) and lead Tricia Affleck.

For Birt, simply winning the championship wasn’t the dream, as the five-time Scotties champion and former world junior champion has plenty of experience curling at the national level.

Playing at that level in front of a home crowd is an opportunity Birt will have for the first time when the national Scotties roll into Charlottetown, Feb. 19 to 27.

“It would just be a dream come true to me. To play in Charlottetown, in front of our home fans, it would just be wonderful,” Birt said at a recent Scotties reception  honouring former provincial winners.

Click to read the full story at The Guardian.

Skip Suzanne Birt calls a shot. Guardian photo by Mitch MacDonald