I'm already looking forward to the Glynhill Ladies International at Braehead, January 15-17. It is the only women's Curling Champions Tour event in Scotland, and this season has attracted a field of the highest calibre. Twelve countries are represented. Eight of the teams which will compete in the Vancouver Olympics will be coming to Scotland. Former world champion Debbie McCormick (above) from the USA will be there, as will be the current world champions, skipped by Bingyu Wang of China.There's a place in the draw for the Canadian Olympic representatives too. Just who that will be has not yet been decided. Canada's Olympic curling trials will be held December 6-13. Jennifer Jones, Shannon Kleibrink, Cheryl Bernard and Stefanie Lawton are already in the draw for that, and the other four teams will be found from a pre-qualifying event which begins today in Prince George, British Columbia. Of course the team which wins the right to be Canada's Olympic team may chose not to travel to Braehead, although the opportunity to see so many of their Olympic opposition is certainly an incentive. Whatever happens though, there will be a top Canadian team at the Glynhill. Last season Jennifer Jones' team won the event.
Eve Muirhead, Jackie Lockhart, Kelly Wood, Lorna Vevers and Karen Addison have been selected as the Great Britain squad for Vancouver, and they will know what lineup has been confirmed by the British Olympic Association following the Europeans next month. Team GB will play Sweden's Karin Rudstrom in their first game. You'll need to be up early to watch that one. The first games are on the ice on Friday, January 15, at 08.00! Will I be there? Of course!
The draw is on the event website here. Twenty-four teams play in four sections, with the top two in each qualifying for quarterfinals.
The photo of Debbie is from last season's World Championship in Korea and is courtesy of Hugh Stewart.
