(by Fred Rinne)
The two finals that will be played today at the Capital One Canada Cup of Curling at the Cranbrook RecPlex are really heads and tails of the same coin.
Photo: Chelsea Carey will attempt to earn an Olympic trial berth Sunday when she takes on Jennifer Jones
On one hand, you have Edmonton’s Kevin Martin and Coldwater’s Glenn Howard acing each other at 1:30 p.m. (4:30 AT) on the men’s side – hardly surprising to anyone around a curling club. It might seem like the Ol’ Bear and Canada’s most famous beer store manger have faced each other a hundred times in major championship and cashspiel finals – and that might not be far from the truth.
But on the women’s side of the draw, while past Canadian and world champ
Jennifer Jones of Winnipeg did not surprise anyone by curling her way to Sunday’s 9 a.m. (12 noon Atlantic) tilt, it was fellow Manitoban Chelsea Carey’s crew out of Morden that quickly became the story of the week in this mountain city.
Before anyone realized it, Carey had floated to the top of the standings and really assured her team weekend curling fairly quickly.
Carey’s rink is unquestionably the up-and-coming squad in the tough Keystone Province. They were at last year’s Cup in Medicine Hat and played brilliantly at the Manitoba Scotties only to lose to Cathy Overton-Clapham in the final.