If it seems as if curling is making up for lost time due to Covid-19, you wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 necessarily be wrong.

The national championship season rolls on with the next big event starting this Monday in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. as the Canadian Seniors Curling Championships get underway. The NWT rinks hail from the Yellowknife Curling Club, with the womenSA国际影视传媒檚 entry consisting of Sharon Cormier and her rink of Cheryl Tordoff, Marta Moir, Norma Jarvis and Kelly Kaylo. The men will be skipped by Glen Hudy, who leads the rink of Brian Kelln, Franz Dziuba and Richard Klakowich.

Both rinks won the right to represent the territory after winning the NWT Senior Curling Championships in January.

Cormier would have skipped the NWT at the 202o edition in B.C. had that not been cancelled due to Covid-19. She said she welcomes another crack at it.

SA国际影视传媒淲e have a couple of changes to our roster,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淢arta is our second now and Norma is our new lead. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 her first time playing at a national championship so sheSA国际影视传媒檚 looking forward to that.SA国际影视传媒�

At the 2019 championships, the last time the event was held, Cormier came within one game of making the championship round and a shot at the playoffs. SheSA国际影视传媒檚 putting that close call out of mind.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 a clean slate,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e going to take it one game at a time. Obviously, there will be teams weSA国际影视传媒檒l do better against than others, but we have a tough pool.SA国际影视传媒�

That pool includes Ontario and Alberta, skipped by Sherry Middaugh and Cheryl Bernard, respectively. Both of those competitors are past Scotties Tournament of Hearts champions. Bernard was also the Canadian womenSA国际影视传媒檚 skip at the 2010 Winter Olympics. The other teams in the NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 pool include Nova Scotia SA国际影视传媒� who the ladies will open things up against on Monday SA国际影视传媒� Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon and New Brunswick.

The ladies will get all day Sunday to practice, get accustomed to Eastern Time and get used to the ice, which will be club ice, something Cormier said will be more familiar to them.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e used to playing on club ice,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淪herry and Cheryl played a lot on arena ice but it all depends on who picks up on it quicker.SA国际影视传媒�

For the men, theySA国际影视传媒檒l meet up on Saturday in Toronto to catch their flight to the Soo and hit the ice for practice on Sunday.

Kelln, whoSA国际影视传媒檚 making the trip in from Saskatchewan following coaching the NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 girls entry at the World Junior Qualifier in Saskatoon last week, said the guys are looking forward to another chance to take on the country, even with less activity than usual.

SA国际影视传媒淲e havenSA国际影视传媒檛 had a lot of ice time,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲e were delayed a month because of the (Covid-19) outbreak but weSA国际影视传媒檝e been doing what we can SA国际影视传媒� the boys back home have been practising and ISA国际影视传媒檝e been on the ice here. We want to be competitive and win a couple of games, if we can.SA国际影视传媒�

The men will kick things off against New Brunswick on Monday afternoon. In addition to them, the NWT contingent will square off with Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檝e played Saskatchewan every time weSA国际影视传媒檝e played at nationals and theySA国际影视传媒檙e always tough,SA国际影视传媒� said Kelln. SA国际影视传媒淨uebec is a younger team SA国际影视传媒� early 50s SA国际影视传媒� so theySA国际影视传媒檒l be good. The good part about this is weSA国际影视传媒檒l get better as it goes on. If the ice is keen, we should be able to adjust to it.SA国际影视传媒�

What makes this different from other events, he added, is itSA国际影视传媒檚 more like a reunion than a bonspiel.

SA国际影视传媒淭he seniors is more social and itSA国际影视传媒檚 fun to play,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淵ou always want to outcurl whoever youSA国际影视传媒檙e playing, but afterward you go and socialize and catch up with everyone.SA国际影视传媒�