What an Absolutely Unbelievable Field!!

Thirteen of the sixteen Olympic Trials/Pre-Trials teams in attendance, including all four of the Trials teams!!
Five international rinks - all of which will be playing at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver in 129 days!!

Add in another 11 high calibre teams and this just might be the best field ever assembled for the Trail Appliances Curling Classic. These 32 teams will be battling it out for $56,000 in prize money. Defending Champion Team Kleibrink, from Calgary, definitely have their work cut out for them.

My name is Paul Webster, the National Development Coach for Canada. I run our National Training Centre here in Calgary and the committe thought I may just have some idea of how to blog!! I will give it a try with my goal to bring you some inside stories about the teams throughout the weekend as well as keeping you up to date on the teams that are hot to start the weekend.

In that light there are a few teams to take note of coming into this competition:

1. Team Jennifer Jones - haven't played a lot this year, as of yet, however the one event they did play in, over in Europe, they won - beating some of the Olympic contenders in the process

2. Team Japan - just came off a big win in Vernon last weekend beating Cheryl Bernard of Calgary in the final. They also won the inauguaral New Zealand Winter Games in August beating Team China (arch rival) in the final. They have been somewhat quiet the last few years......is this a resurgence?

3. Team Amber Holland - one their first and only event so far this year....undefeated! Beating former World Champion Kelly Scott in the final, Team Holland was extremely impressive in this Regina event.

4. Team Cheryl Bernard - two events and two second place finishes - this team is thirsty for a win. Hot off a great 2008-2009 campaign, they are ready to set the table for the 2009 Trials in December.

5. Team Kelly Scott - the former world championship team made a team change and added a new lead this year. So far they have qualied in each event they have played in. A perennial contender - they no doubt will be playing on Monday!!

Be sure to get out to the Calgary Curling Club this weekend. This will be as close to Olympic calibre curling that we will see in Calgary! Come out and support our teams!!

Yours in curling,
Paul Webster