And so begins another season of what we hope will be plenty of curling for the country and the national championships that come with it.

NunavutSA国际影视传媒檚 first foray into the national championship season will kick off on Nov. 7 as the Canadian Mixed Curling Championship gets underway in Canmore, Alta. The territorySA国际影视传媒檚 entry will be from the Iqaluit Curling Club made up of skip Peter Van Strien, third Meredith Penner, second Greg Howard and lead Lena Chown. They qualified for nationals after winning the territorial playdown earlier this year.

The expectations for Van Strien are simple: stay positive and keep curling.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e hoping to not let the nerves get the best of us,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 sure weSA国际影视传媒檒l all be nervous at first but weSA国际影视传媒檒l try to stay positive and see what happens.SA国际影视传媒�

Nunavut will be in action in the opening draw as they take on Nova Scotia with a big game the following day against the NWT, who will be skipped by YellowknifeSA国际影视传媒檚 Jamie Koe, someone who has scores of national experience at both the Tim Hortons Brier and mixed nationals. HeSA国际影视传媒檚 a two-time medalist at this event, narrowly losing in the final in 2015 to claim silver and beating Manitoba to win bronze two years ago.

Van Strien said thatSA国际影视传媒檚 a game Nunavut always looks forward to, no matter the event.

SA国际影视传媒淛amie has a lot of experience and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 going to be a tough test for us,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 always good to have a Northern battle.SA国际影视传媒�

The format sees the 14 rinks split into two pools of seven for the round-robin. The top four teams in each pool will move on to the championship round, taking their records with them, to play the four teams from the other pool they havenSA国际影视传媒檛 yet played while the bottom three teams will move into the seeding pool to determine final placings. The top four teams from the championship round will move into the playoff round to determine who wins what.

SA国际影视传媒淲e know getting a top-four finish will be tough so weSA国际影视传媒檙e going to take it game-by-game,SA国际影视传媒� said Van Strien. SA国际影视传媒淚f we can win one or two, weSA国际影视传媒檒l start thinking about that next round but whatever happens happens. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 all about playing every shot but a win or two would be great.SA国际影视传媒�

The foursome does have experience at prior national championships. Van Strien teamed up with Angela Dale to play at the Canadian Mixed Doubles Championship inside the bubble in Calgary back in March while Howard most recently played at the Tim Hortons Brier this past March, also inside the bubble in Calgary, with skip Peter Mackey of Iqaluit.

Back then, the Covid-19 rules were very strict with players only allowed to leave their hotel room to either go practice or play; no sightseeing or dining out of any sort was permitted.

Van Strien said he hasnSA国际影视传媒檛 heard of anything like that for Canmore but that doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 mean the team wonSA国际影视传媒檛 still be taking care.

SA国际影视传媒淚 havenSA国际影视传媒檛 been told of a bar-code tracking system or anything like that but the same rules apply with masking and distancing,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚t looks like weSA国际影视传媒檒l be able to go out and have a meal and maybe see a bit of the town so thatSA国际影视传媒檚 a big change. It doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 sound like itSA国际影视传媒檚 too restrictive.SA国际影视传媒�

The rink will be leaving for the event from the capital on Nov. 5.