Could meet at provincials
(JIM BENDER, Winnipeg Sun)
Wind the clock back to the most anticipated showdown in women’s curling history last winter.The vengeful match was between Manitoba’s Cathy Overton-Clapham and Team Canada’s Jennifer Jones at the national Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Charlottetown, P.E.I., almost a year after Jones suddenly sent Overton-Clapham, her former third, packing.
Overton-Clapham admitted she felt blindsided by her former teammates after helping Jones win four Canadian crowns and a world championship. Adding insult to injury was the fact that Overton-Clapham would be denied trips to the Canada and Continental Cups and a triumphant return to the Scotties as part of the defending championship team.
So, Overton-Clapham quickly threw a team together and earned her way back to the national stage by winning the Manitoba title. Then, she met Jones for the first time since the split in the Scotties round robin.
People around the world tuned in to watch Overton-Clapham wreak some sort of revenge with an 8-6 victory over Jones. TSN viewership peaked at 1.1 million and it was the third-highest rating for a round-robin game in tournament history. In fact, it even outdrew an NHL game that night.
“I had a fire under my —,” Overton-Clapham started to admit to reporters after the triumph, then caught herself. “Am I allowed to say that?”
Jones suggested the hype was actually good for the event.
Now, jump ahead to January 2012. Overton-Clapham and Jones are preparing to compete in the Manitoba Scotties Tournament of Hearts that starts in Portage la Prairie on Wednesday.
So, do they expect the hype of a Cold War II this week?
“I don’t think so — unless you guys (media) do it,” Overton-Clapham joked before heading to Portage.
“I have no idea,” responded Jones. “It’s been a long time now and I think everyone’s past that.”