THUNDER BAY – The field for the Scotties Tournament of Hearts is set.
With provincial playdowns in the book, organizers now know the 18 teams that will compete next month for the national women’s curling championship, scheduled to open on Feb. 14 at Fort William Gardens.
Krista McCarville, the hometown favourite, will make her 12th appearance, representing Northern Ontario for the eighth time.
She’ll be joined in the field by returning champion Rachel Homan of Ottawa and four-time champion Kerri Einarson of Manitoba, who earned one of three wild-card spots and will look to repeat her 2022 win at the Gardens.
The other wild-card berths were awarded to Manitoba’s Kaitlyn Lawes and Alberta’s Selena Sturmay, who got the third and final spot when Karlee Burgess parted ways with the team skipped by Chelsea Carey, taking them out of the running because they did not have at least three returning members on their team.
Thunder Bay’s Karlee Everist will also return to the Gardens and her hometown, throwing lead stones for Nova Scotia champion Christina Black. Danielle Inglis will represent Ontario, while Kayla Skrlik will carry the Alberta flag and Corryn Brown will skip the British Columbia team.
Kate Cameron won the Manitoba berth, Melissa Adams will represent New Brunswick and Brooke Godsland will curl under the Newfoundland and Labrador banner.
Jane DiCarlo will play for Prince Edward Island, Laurie St-Georges won the Quebec title and Nancy Martin is the Saskatchewan champion.
Kerry Galusha will make her record 22nd Scotties appearance for the Northwest Territories, while Julia Weagle carries the Nunavut banner and Bayly Scoffin will curl for Yukon.
Though the pools have yet to be set, McCarville, a two-time Scotties runner-up, will be in Pool A with Sturmay and Homan. Einarson and Lawes are locked into Pool B.