North Bay curling team punches ticket to U-18 national championships
A junior curling team from North Bay has punched its ticket to the 2024 Canadian U-18 Curling Championships in Ottawa this weekend.
Team Winters is tuning up for the competition, getting a few practice shots in.
“We’re pretty excited. Not too nervous, but just a bit,” said Team Winters alternate Aidan Baxter.
The team qualified when they finished as runners-up in the provincial championships in Longlac, Ont.
Riley Winters calls the shots as the team’s skip. His love of curling started when he was only five years old, picking up a broom and a rock.
“I started in Powassan on a two-sheet volunteer club. My dad and mom ran the junior program there,” Winters said.
“I started curling once a week when I was five to eight (years old). Then I came here because I wanted to be more competitive and be better.”
A junior curling team from North Bay has punched its ticket to the 2024 Canadian U-18 Curling Championships in Ottawa this weekend. Team Winters is tuning up for the competition, getting a few practice shots in. (Eric Taschner/CTV News)
The team is punching above its weight at the tournament, which runs Feb. 4-10. Four of the players are only 15 and the other is 17. At the national championships, the boys will be competing against players who are not only older but more experienced.
Head coach Steve Decary said he isn’t fazed.
“The boys have put in a lot of hard work in practise time and in the events to compete at that level,” Decary said.
“If they’re willing to put the time and effort in to do that, then they’ll have success.”
The team formed before the COVID-19 pandemic rocked the world. To date, they’ve played over 40 matches together.
“I’ve been curling with the team for two years. This is the third now,” said Team Winters lead Josh Dumoulin.
A junior curling team from North Bay has punched its ticket to the 2024 Canadian U-18 Curling Championships in Ottawa this weekend. Team Winters is tuning up for the competition, getting a few practice shots in. (Eric Taschner/CTV News)
“I’m generally throwing a lighter weight to set up the end so that it’s easier for my teammates to make their shots.”
The players have formed a nice bond, which is crucial in curling as communication is key.
“We’re all really similar. Three out of the five of us go to the same school. So we’re all really close,” said Baxter.
That friendship has helped push the team to achieve recent success, winning the U-15 championships in Dundas, Ont.
The curling team also competed in one of the qualifying events for the Ontario Winter Games in Timmins and won. By doing so, they qualified for the Ontario Winter Games in Thunder Bay from Feb. 16-26.
“We’re friends before teammates,” said Winters. “There are no conflicts.”
It’s a team made up of five friends who have learned from each other, continue to polish their curling skills while hoping for more opportunities to sweep the competition.
“I guess we play pretty well,” Winters said.
o Download our app to get local alerts on your device
o Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
Team Winters isn’t the only team from northern Ontario to qualify for the U-18 national championships.
Team Julien from Temiskaming Shores will also be playing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian family stuck in Lebanon anxiously awaits flight options amid Israeli strikes
A Canadian man who is trapped in Lebanon with his family says they are anxiously waiting for seats on a flight out of the country, as a barrage of Israeli airstrikes continues.
Suspect in shooting of Toronto cop was out on bail
A 21-year-old man who was charged with attempted murder in the shooting of a Toronto police officer this week was out on bail at the time of the alleged offence, court documents obtained by CTV News Toronto show.
Scientists looked at images from space to see how fast Antarctica is turning green. Here's what they found
Parts of icy Antarctica are turning green with plant life at an alarming rate as the region is gripped by extreme heat events, according to new research, sparking concerns about the changing landscape on this vast continent.
DEVELOPING 2 dead after fire rips through historic building in Old Montreal
At least two people are dead and others are injured after a fire ripped through a century-old building near Montreal's City Hall, sources told Noovo Info.
Yazidi woman captured by ISIS rescued in Gaza after more than a decade in captivity
A 21-year-old Yazidi woman has been rescued from Gaza where she had been held captive by Hamas for years after being trafficked by ISIS.
A 6-year-old girl was kidnapped in Arkansas in 1995. Almost 30 years later, a suspect was identified
Nearly 30 years after a six-year-old girl disappeared in Western Arkansas, authorities have identified a suspect in her abduction through DNA evidence.
Dolphins 'smile' at each other when they play and to avoid misunderstanding, study finds
For humans, flashing a smile is an easy way to avoid misunderstanding. And, according to a new study, bottlenose dolphins may use a similar tactic while playing with each other.
Pit bulls in B.C. pet mauling tested positive for meth, cocaine, says city
Three pit bulls involved in a deadly attack on another dog last month in Kamloops, B.C., tested positive for methamphetamine and cocaine, and the city is going to court to have them put down.
Tax rebate: Canadians with low to modest incomes to receive payment on Friday
Canadians who are eligible for a GST/HST tax credit can expect their final payment of the year on Friday.