Olympic dreams remain intact for 16 mixed doubles teams hoping to win the 2022 Canad Inns Canadian Mixed Doubles Trials later this month.

The mixed doubles teams of Chelsea Carey/Colin Hodgson (left) and Laurie St-Georges/Félix Asselin (right) booked their spots to the 2022 Canad Inns Canadian Mixed Doubles Trials by reaching the final at the Brantford Mixed Doubles Classic. (Photo, Curling Canada/Danielle Inglis)

All 16 teams are confirmed following Sunday’s Brantford Mixed Doubles Classic. The event offered two berths to the top non-qualified teams in the top four of the event. The event’s conclusion also signalled the end of the qualification period for the 2022 Canad Inns Canadian Mixed Doubles Trials. The remainder of the teams qualified based on Canadian Mixed Doubles Rankings (CMDR) points earned this season. 

As was the case in 2018, some players and teams had to be replaced because they were victorious at the 2021 Tim Hortons Canadian Curling Trials earlier this year in Saskatoon.

The 2022 Canad Inns Canadian Mixed Doubles Trials, scheduled for Dec. 28, 2021 – Jan. 2, 2022, at Stride Place in Portage la Prairie, Man., will decide Canada’s mixed doubles entry into the Winter Olympics mixed doubles competition. The winner will defend Canada’s gold medal earned at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games by Kaitlyn Lawes and John Morris.

Morris will have an opportunity to become the first player to win back-to-back Canadian Mixed Doubles Trials titles in the young history of the event. This year, 2018 Olympian Rachel Homan joins Morris in pursuing gold. 

Here’s a look at the 16 teams that qualified. Crossed out names indicate the player will have already qualified for the Olympic Winter Games in four-player team competition:

• Jocelyn Peterman (Winnipeg)/Brett Gallant (St. John’s, N.L.) – CMDR as of May 20, 2020
• Jennifer Jones (Horseshoe Valley, Ont.) Selena Njegovan (Winnipeg)/Brent Laing (Horseshoe Valley, Ont.) – CMDR as of May 20, 2020
• Nancy Martin (Saskatoon)/Tyrel Griffith (Kelowna, B.C.) – CMDR as of May 20, 2020
• Rachel Homan (Beaumont, Alta.)/John Morris (Canmore, Alta.) – CMDR as of May 20, 2020
• Kerri Einarson (Camp Morton, Man.)/Brad Gushue (St. John’s, N.L.) Brad Jacobs (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) – 2021 Home Hardware Canadian Mixed Doubles Championship gold-medallists
• Kadriana Sahaidak (Gimli, Man.)/Colton Lott (Gimli, Man.) (2021 Home Hardware Canadian Mixed Doubles Championship silver-medallists)
• Lisa Weagle (Ottawa)/John Epping (Toronto) (Aly Jenkins Mixed Doubles Memorial Bonspiel qualifier)
• Laurie St-Georges (Laval, Que.)/Félix Asselin (Laval, Que.) (Brantford Mixed Doubles Classic qualifier #1)
• Chelsea Carey (Calgary)/Colin Hodgson (Red Lake, Ont.) (Brantford Mixed Doubles Classic qualifier #2)
• Shannon Birchard (Winnipeg)/Catlin Schneider (Regina) (CMDR as of Dec. 14, 2021)
• Val Sweeting (Lottie Lake, Alta.)/Marc Kennedy (St. Albert, Alta.) (CMDR as of Dec. 14, 2021)
• Clancy Grandy (Pickering, Ont.)/Patrick Janssen (Pickering, Ont.) (CMDR as of Dec. 14, 2021)
• Laura Walker (Edmonton)/Kirk Muyres (Regina) (CMDR as of Dec. 14, 2021)
• Kim Tuck (Strathroy, Ont.)/Wayne Tuck (Strathroy, Ont.) (CMDR as of Dec. 14, 2021 – excluding CTRS points)
• Émilie Desjardins (Chicoutimi, Que.)/Robert Desjardins (Chicoutimi, Que.) (CMDR as of Dec. 14, 2021 – excluding CTRS points)
• Bobbie Sauder (Spruce Grove, Alta.)/Brendan Bottcher (Spruce Grove, Alta.) (CMDR as of Dec. 14, 2021 – due to no qualifier at Qualico Mixed Doubles Classic qualifier)
• Lauren Wasylkiw (Stouffville, Ont.)/Shane Konings (Stouffville, Ont.) (CMDR as of Dec. 14, 2021 – due to Peterman/Gallant qualifying on four-player teams)

The teams will be divided into two pools of eight teams based on CMDR and play a seven-game round robin. The top team in each pool will receive a bye, while the teams with the following four best records qualify for the playoffs. 

Round-robin play begins on Dec. 28 at 9 a.m. (all times Central) and concludes on Dec. 31 at 12:30. Playoffs start on Dec. 31 at 4 p.m., with the semifinal occurring at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 2 and the final at 1:30 p.m.

The mixed doubles competition at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing begins on Feb. 2 and the gold-medal game will be held on Feb. 8.

Tickets for the 2022 Canad Inns Canadian Mixed Doubles Trials can be purchased here.

Broadcasting details and event schedule will be released later this month.

Click to read at Curling Canada: https://www.curling.ca/blog/2021/12/15/mixed-doubles-field-set/