(CCA) There are just weeks to go until the first rock is thrown at the 2013 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, being contested at the K-Rock Centre in Kingston, February 16 to 24. Winners of the Provincial and Territorial Championships will all be declared by February 3. The eleven winning teams will attempt to wrestle away the crown from Team Canada’s Heather Nedohin who took Bronze at the 2012 Ford World Women’s Championship and returns this year as the reigning Scotties Tournament of Hearts Champion.
While qualifiers are still being declared across the country, there are some very familiar names that have already clinched berths at their respective Championships. In BC, former World and defending BC Champion, Kelly Scott will be after her fourth consecutive Provincial title. 2006 Olympic Bronze medalist Shannon Kleibrink will be leading the charge in Alberta and 2011 Canadian Champion Amber Holland has qualified in Saskatchewan. In Manitoba, 2008 World Champion Jennifer Jones will be facing her former teammate and six-time Canadian Champion Cathy Overton-Clapham. Other well know names include Krista McCarville from Northern Ontario who took Bronze at the 2010 Scotties, Quebec’s Marie France Larouche who won Silver at the 2004 Scotties and Bronze in 2009, as well as PEI’s Suzanne Birt who has made six trips to the Scotties with a best place finish in 2003 with a Bronze medal. Nova Scotia’s Mary-Anne Arsenault has teamed up with her former skip Colleen Jones who is now playing third. They played together in every Scotties from 1999-2006.
The 2013 Scotties Tournament of Hearts will be the 53rd Canadian Women’s Curling Championship and the 32nd year that Kruger Products has been title sponsor.
Here are the dates and locations for the provincial playdowns:
BC
January 14-20
Cloverdale Curling Club
AB
January 23-27
Lethbridge Curling Club
SK
January 23-27
Balgonie Arena, Regina area
MB
January 23-27
Stonewall Curling Club
ON
January 21-27
KW Granite Curling Club – Waterloo
QC
January 21-27
Complexe sportif de Victoriaville
NB
January 30-February 3
Gladstone Curling Club – Fredericton
NS
January 22-27
Halifax Curling Club
PEI
January 23-27
Charlottetown Curling Complex
NL
January 15-20
Bally Haly Golf & Curling Club – St. John’s
NWT
January 10-13
Fort Smith Curling Club