The Autumn Gold Curling Classic has fallen on a peculiar weekend in 2022.
Rather than Thanksgiving, it’s on now in the city.
But thanks to the time-shift, the annual tradition is helping to serve the youth of the sport.
Perhaps more than in any other edition of the 44 years of the women’s event, it’s a younger, less experienced field taking to the pebbled ice of the Calgary Curling Club.
“Lots of young talented curlers here,” said Autumn Gold committee member Heather Rogers, during Day 1 action Friday.
“Happy to help that next generation.”
Among the next-gen rock stars are two Calgary rinks skipped by Claire Booth and Jessica Wytrychowski.
Team Booth, out of The Glencoe Club, is among Alberta’s top junior contenders, while Wytrychowski & Co. — a touch older representing the Airdrie Curling Club — are fully immersed in the women’s circuit.
“Definitely, we’re trying to find our place in the curling world,” said the 22-year-old Wytrychowski. “This tournament helps, because it brings out a lot of teams that you don’t normally play in Alberta. Playing against international teams is always fun, and you can always take a lot from it.
“Some teams have different strategies depending on where they’re from, so we’re learning from that. And we can build up from this weekend.”
Indeed, even though it’s a later start time than usual in October — due to the HearingLife Tour Challenge grand slam event in Grande Prairie — the Autumn Gold is still bringing out the big names to this year’s event. The 31-team field includes Alberta champ Casey Scheidegger and Canadian queens Chelsea Carey, Amber Holland, Jennifer Jones and Kaitlyn Lawes.
“The best part about this event is that it’s local,” said Paul Damen-coached Wytrychowski, who’s flanked by Medicine Hat third Jessica Koch, and fellow Calgarians Emily Neufeld — the new kid on the team at second — and Cheryl Damen. “Having our fans come out, which they normally don’t get to, is such a great experience. And then having such a large field of international players makes it even better, because it almost feels like a trials before worlds. And then finding out where you fit into the mix is really a great experience.”
For Booth, a Red Deer native now living in Calgary, and her squad — third Kaylee Raniseth of Delburne, second Raelyn Helston of Airdrie and lead Lauren Miller of Calgary — their participation in the Autumn Gold is about learning, as well.
But unlike eyeing a spot in the playoffs here like Wytrychowski’s crew, they’ve got a few other goals they’d like to meet first before concerning themselves with the world of women’s curling.
“We just look to learn as much as we can and hope one day we’re right up there,” said Booth, who’s coached by Deryk Kuny. “But our goal for this year is to win provincials and, hopefully, nationals.
“So usually when we come to women’s events, our expectations aren’t really outcome-based — they’re more about gaining experience,” continued the well-spoken 18-year-old. “Playing the higher-level teams, there’s such a big level of precision that’s needed to compete with them, so it pushes us to really get precise communication so that we can keep a close game with them. We learn so much from them. Every game, we pick up tidbits from them.”
Both Booth and Wytrychowski are doing double duty these days to enhance their curling even more.
They are members of the University of Calgary Dinos women’s team, which — along with a men’s crew — is in its infancy in the U SPORTS world.
The first year for the program was spearheaded by Red Deer native Jocelyn Peterman, who is coaching the teams with the help of hubby Brett Gallant and fellow Calgary curler/coach/U of C graduate Heather Rogers.
“I think a lot of curlers have tried to start a curling program at the university before, but they’ve been really doing it at the playing side of things,” Rogers said. “Now, Jocelyn has approached with a good business plan with a new athletics director (Ben Matchett) at the University of Calgary, and the stars aligned for him to say ‘yes’ and for us to really put together a strong program that we’re going to spend a lot of time on.”
Booth, who is studying kinesiology, and Wytrychowski, a political science major, line up for U of C with fellow full-time students Elliot Martens, Kate Ector and Jessica Minshull, while the men’s roster is made up of Kenan Wipf, Derek Bowyer, Michael Keenan, Ethan Drysdale and Tyson Toews.
The teams came together after well-attended trials in late September and go forth in search of wins at the Canada West and U SPORTS championships in the new year.
To prepare for that, the Dinos hit the ice on the Remembrance Day weekend — with one side in action at the Calgary Curling Club-hosted Original 16 Men’s Cash Spiel and the other participating in the Ladies Alberta Open in Okotoks.
“It’s busy being on two teams, but it’s been so helpful,” Booth said. “I love practising with Heather and Jocelyn and Brett. I get lots of feedback because I have lots of different coaches.”
Added Wytrychowski, “Working with some of best coaches and players in Canada right now gives me an opportunity to get feedback from multiple areas. It’s kind of nice taking in everything and really trying to perfect it for both the Dinos team and my team right now.”
EXTRA ENDS
Booth lost her A-event draw Friday to Scheidegger and then dropped a B-side battle with Scotland’s Rebecca Morrison, while Wytrychowski was upended by Germany’s Daniela Jentsch in A-side play before facing Edmonton’s Elysa Crough in late-night B action … Lawes and her new lineup won their only match of Day 1, while Friday’s two-win rinks included Lethbridge’s Scheidegger, Manitoba’s Carey and Japan’s Ikue Kitazawa, Four more squads advanced from Friday’s late draw into the ranks of the two-win teams … Saturday’s second day at the CCC features draws at 9 a.m., 12:45 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. One A-side winner will be decided from each of those late afternoon and evening draws … The event continues Sunday with four more draws and concludes Monday with playoff action beginning at 9 a.m. and concluding with the championship final at 3:30 p.m.
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