(by Jason Simmonds)
SUMMERSIDE – Michelle McQuaid will realize a dream next month.
© Jason Simmonds/Journal Pioneer
Michelle McQuaid, second stone with the Suzanne Birt rink, will compete in her first-ever Scotties Tournament of Hearts Canadian women’s curling championship next month.
“I’m so excited, overwhelmed a little bit,” said McQuaid after Team Birt defeated Kathy O’Rourke 10-4 at the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club in Summerside on Monday afternoon to win the provincial title. “I really wanted to get to my first (national) Scotties.”
McQuaid and lead Susan McInnis joined forces with Birt and third stone Shelly Bradley two seasons ago. After a tough provincial championship last season, the Birt rink went 5-1 in the modified triple-knockout format over the four-day event.
“This year, we just decided we were going to relax, go out and have fun and play our game and not worry about our opposition,” said McQuaid. “Just do what we can do and we did that. It was a really fun weekend.”
McQuaid admitted the women’s game “is definitely different” than the junior ranks, where she played third stone for skip Sarah Fullerton’s three consecutive provincial junior women’s championships from 2010 to 2012.