The field is set for the 2014 Tim Hortons BC Junior Curling Championships, which take place Dec. 26-31 at the Chilliwack Curling Club.
The last 12 berths, two apiece on the men’s and women’s sides, were snapped up at last weekend’s Coastal playdowns in Coquitlam.
On the men’s side, Nolan Reid’s Victoria rink qualified in the A event. Reid and teammates Sanjay Bowry, Calvin Heels and Byron Heels are a capable quartet, good enough to have competed in junior nationals last year.
Team Tanaka also made it through in the A event. Cody Tanaka skips the team, which represents the Tunnel Town Curling Club in Tsawwassen. His teammates are Donny Mackintosh (lead), Nicholas Umbach (second) and Travis Cameron (third).
Team De Jong (Cameron de Jong, Victoria) and Team Tardi (Tyler Tardi, Langley) qualified in the B event, while Team Habkirk (Kyle Habkirk, Coquitlam) and Team Parker (Nick Parker, Abbotsford) qualified in the C event. Habkirk’s group will be one to watch, with three of the four curlers winning gold at the 2013 Tim Hortons BC Juvenile Championships.
On the women’s side, Team Van Osch (Nanaimo/Delta) and Team Hawes (Dezaray Hawes, Royal City) were the A event qualifiers.
Team Van Osch is made up of past junior and juvenile provincial winners. Kalia Van Osch skips, joined by Ashley Sanderson (lead), Sarah Daniels (second), Marika Van Osch (third) and Megan Daniels (fifth).
Team Egan (Briana Egan, Coquitlam) and Team Jensen (Victoria) were the B event qualifiers.
Team Jensen is skipped by Shawna Jensen, joined by Lauren Legan (lead), Tatianna Simicic (second) and Merit Thorson (third). Three of them will also play in the 2014 Scotties Tournament of Hearts BC Women’s Curling Championship, taking place Jan. 6-12 in Prince George.
Two Juan De Fuca Curling Centre teams qualified in the C event — Team Tinkler (Brandi Tinkler) and Team Coulombe (Mariah Coulombe).
Four teams had previously secured spots. Team Brown (Corryn Brown, Kamloops) and Team Edwards (Vernon) qualified on the women’s side, with Team Umpherville (Beaver Valley) and Team Cliff (Vernon) finding spots on the men’s side.
Brown’s quartet is the reigning national champion, taking top spot at last year’s M&M Meat Shots Canadian Junior Curling Championships.
Get more at curlchilliwack.org.
