Team Morrison and Team Farmer make their first transatlantic trip of the season this week as they open their Canadian campaigns at the RBC Dominion Securities Western Showdown in Swift Current (13-16 October).
Team Morrison were part of the British Curling contingent in action at the Women’s Masters in Basel at the end of last month where they made it to the quarter finals and now the national champions are keen to build on that during their three week Canadian tour. 
“Coming off a quite successful weekend in Basel a few weeks ago we are really excited to be in Canada for three competitions as it is a great opportunity to play some teams we have never played before and make an impact across the pond,” said skip Rebecca Morrison.
“There is such depth in Canadian curling and not knowing anything about some of our opponents is really going to test us. Not knowing how they will play or any of their strengths is going to be quite the challenge we are needing just now.”Along with teammates Gina Aitken, Sophie Sinclair and two time national champion Sophie Jackson Morrison is relishing this chance to immerse themselves in the hotbed of curling.
“We are starting off in Swift Current against Team Yoshimura from Japan,” said Morrison.
“They are a great team and have been on tour for a while so we expect a good game against them and as it is a triple knock-out format we won’t know yet who we will face next. Looking at our side of the draw it is very strong, but our goal is to make the play-off stages and rack up some ranking points and climb the standings. 
“At this time of year it is really good to get across to Canada and do a good few blocks of competitions because we are at that stage where we have had some good training and a few competitions and are getting in to the groove of things.
“So it is time to be chasing world ranking points and all of the competitions here are such a high standard it presents such a huge opportunity for us as a team.”
For the newly formed Team Farmer, who came together just before their first event at the Euro Super Series, this campaign represents a trip of many firsts for skip Beth Farmer and her team mates Olympic champion Hailey Duff, Kirstin Bousie, Amy MacDonald and Katie McMillan.
“We are looking forward to getting more competition and game time together as a unit,” said Farmer.“I have never played in Swift Current before and I am not sure any of the girls have either, in fact this is the first time for Katie and Amy competing in Canada, so they are really excited about this trip.
“Canada is probably the best place to play curling in the world, so as ever we are looking to build on what we have been doing over the last few weeks. We have been training hard and we have learned quite a lot about each other recently and being together for two weeks on this trip will speed up and help with that process. 
“We start as a four and then Kirstin (Bousie) will join us for our second event and Ross (Paterson) will also be coming out to coach us, so that is going to be a great help having him with us.”
Paterson, who retired from the elite game earlier this year and has subsequently joined the British Curling coaching ranks, will bring welcome expertise having won a Grand Slam title in Canada back in 2018, as the quintet embark on their first Tier Two Grand Slam event together.
“We are all really excited and grateful for the opportunity to be playing in that Tier Two event (Hearing Life Tier 2 Challenge) and hope to soak it all up and see what we can do,” said Farmer.
“I think we have realised we are quite resilient and we know what we have to do during the first week and hope to take quite a lot from both events, which I am sure will just make us hungry for more.”
Every game will be streamed on CurlingZone's Youtube channel.
Team Morrison
Rebecca Morrison
Gina Aitken
Sophie Sinclair
Sophie Jackson
Team Farmer
Beth Farmer
Hailey Duff
Kirstin Bousie
Amy MacDonald
Katie McMillan
Results
#curling
