Grandy’s move to B.C.

MARTY HASTINGS STAFF REPORTER sports@kamloopsthisweek.com

Clancy Grandy moved across the country to chase her goal of reaching the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

The plan worked out in a hurry — and foiled Team Brown’s aspirations to compete on home ice at the women’s national curling championship.

Team Grandy, the Vancouver Curling Club rink that includes third Kayla MacMillan, second Lindsay Dubue and lead Sarah Loken, edged Brown’s Kamloops Curling Club team 10-9 in the Scotties B.C. Women’s Curling Championship final in January in Chilliwack, scor- ing one in the 11th end to secure the provincial title.

“They’re a very strong team,” said Grandy, who avenged a pair of defeats to Brown earlier in the provincial championship.

“We knew it was going to be tough. I know they would have been a very great representative for B.C., but we’re thrilled to have the opportunity and we feel we deserve it.”

Grandy did get a taste of the Scotties in 2021, when she was an alternate for the Tracy Fleury rink (a Wild Card team skipped at the tournament by Chelsea Carey) and saw action in one end at the tournament, which was played behind closed doors in Calgary amid the pandemic.

The 2023 event will mark her first significant experience at the national championship.

“I have goosebumps thinking about that moment,” Grandy said.

“It’s always been a big goal of mine and it’s always been a big goal of all of the girls on the team.

“It will be really special to get to share that first experience all together. For all four of us, we’re in the same situation.”

MacMillan skipped the team last season and the rink, which then included third Jody Maskiewich, suffered an 8-6 defeat to Kelowna-based Mary-Anne Arsenault in the 2022 B.C. Scotties final.

“To get this moment was a big goal for our season,” Grandy said.