Carey battles to first Scotties berth

Winnipeg’s Chelsea Carey is riding the momentum of the most memorable season in her competitive curling career, highlighted by achieving the longtime dream of representing Manitoba at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. After losing in the finals of the 2011 and 2012 provincial playdowns, Carey came out on top in this year’s championship match with a victory over Kerri Einarson, Jan. 12 in Virden.
(Photo CCA/Andrew Klaver)

(Photo CCA/Andrew Klaver)

Carey did it the hard way, losing to Einarson in the round robin competition, but rebounding in the semifinal to defeat Barb Spencer, a three-time representative for Manitoba in the Canadian women’s curling championship. The win earned the Carey team a trip to the 2014 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, Feb. 1-9 in Montreal’s Maurice-Richard Arena. Carey, along with Kristy McDonald, Kristen Foster and Lindsay Titheridge, qualified for the 2013 Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings Canadian Curling Trials where they were in the playoff hunt before dropping a tiebreaker game to Sherry Middaugh. “It’s been a good season,” said Carey. “We didn’t do so well in the cash spiels, but going to the Trials, and now the Scotties, makes up for that. “When we first put this team together our goal was to reach the Trials. We didn’t do as well as we’d hoped, but the experience there definitely helped our confidence. It means a lot to compete on the national stage, with the big arenas and all the press… it definitely feels like we belong.” While it wasn’t all smooth sailing for Carey through the Manitoba playdowns, the team found a way to get the job done in the end. “We always seemed to be fine qualifying through the A side, but if we didn’t, we had trouble bouncing back from the tough games. It’s something we talked a lot about as a team, and with my dad (team coach Dan Carey). We worked hard at it and it’s good to see the fruits of our labours. “It’s all about grinding it out… it takes a lot of guts and heart not to get discouraged after the tough losses, but that’s what the great teams do.” “You Gotta Be There” to see the very best teams in Canadian women’s curling at the 2014 Scotties Tournament of Hearts. Get your tickets right now by clicking here.