The Canadian Press

 

Team Canada skip Jennifer Jones, left, peers over at Manitoba skip Cathy Overton-Clapham lining up a shot at the Hearts. (Frank Gunn/Canadian Press)The showdown of the Tournament of Hearts is nigh. Whether the game lives up to its billing is another matter.

Jennifer Jones and her Team Canada rink will face former third Cathy Overton-Clapham and her Manitoba foursome Wednesday night at the Canadian women’s curling championship in Charlottetown. It will be the first time the two have played each other since Jones fired Overton-Clapham last April.

Jones won four Canadian championships with Overton-Clapham as her vice. They also won a world title together in 2008.

Overton-Clapham, or “Cathy-O” as she is known in curling circles, formed a new team last summer, won the Manitoba women’s title, and with it, a berth in this year’s Scotties.

The two Winnipeg teams managed to avoid each other in World Curling Tour events this winter. Jones had an automatic berth in the Scotties as defending champion and didn’t have to participate in Manitoba playdowns.

There’s been little communication between the two women since they parted ways, although Jones says the pair has spoken here in Charlottetown.

How the two skips will interact with each other Wednesday is a compelling enough draw, but the buildup has been deflated by Manitoba’s performance. Overton-Clapham, Karen Fallis, Leslie Wilson and Raunora Westcott were virtually eliminated from playoff contention with a 1-6 record heading into Wednesday.

Jones, new third Kaitlyn Lawes and front end Jill Officer and Dawn Askin were in playoff contention at 5-2 after a pair of victories Tuesday.