Sweet Success for Val Sweeting and Team Canada

Sweet Success for Val Sweeting and Team Canada

Michelle Pinon - News Advertiser

Former Vegreville resident and elite curler Val Sweeting said she wouldn’t have made it thru all of the ups and downs without the support of the community.

Sweeting, who plays third on Kerri Einarson’s team, made the comment after winning the Scotties Tournament of Hearts on Feb. 6 in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Einarson’s rink, competing as Team Canada, defeated Northern Ontario 9-6 to clinch the title. It was the third time in a row the team had won the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. “We didn’t put any extra pressure on ourselves to win. We knew it was very rare to win three in a row but that conversation never came up. We just wanted to do our best out there.”

Sweeting remarked that, “The field was really strong and it was a new format, but we just took it one game at a time. We lost the page seeding game so our backs were against the wall, but having been in similar positions before, we were confident that we everything was still in our own hands and we could still come out on top.”

She was very pleased with the overall result especially since they weren’t able to prepare as usual for the competition. “In order to properly follow the entrance requirements and produce a negative Covid test, we were not able to train together. The event scheduled in Camrose in January was also cancelled, so we didn’t get a chance to play or practice together since the Trials in November. However, we worked really hard on our own and were able to shake the rust off pretty quick when we started the tournament.”

2022 Scotties Tournament of Hearts champions Team Canada. L-R: Kerri Einarson, Val Sweeting, Shannon Birchard and Briane Meilluer.

(Curling Canada/Andrew Klaver)

With some provinces lifting health measures in recent weeks, Sweeting said that as far as she knows they are planning to have fans attend the championship that is slated for March 19-27 in Prince George.

“I’ve heard of some family and friends planning to make the trip, so I hope they can come! After being sent home from Prince George in 2020, we will really embrace this opportunity to be the home team and represent Canada.”