If you are a competitive curler, living in northern Ontario, be prepared to travel.
That is what Krista McCarville and her team of third Tara George, second Kari MacLean and lead Lorraine Lang from the Fort William Curling Club did this year.
They were rewarded by winning the Ontario women's curling championship and a berth in the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, which starts Saturday at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
"Winnipeg is an eight-hour drive for us, and Toronto is 20 hours or a flight,'' said McCarville, 26, who is a Grade 1 teacher. "We travelled to five cashspiels this year and lost the final to Shannon Kleibrink [Olympic bronze medallist] in Regina. We also lost twice in two qualifying games. We won a bonspiel in Duluth and made it to the semifinals of a local men's event.''
McCarville, a three-time Ontario junior champion (2000-2002), will be returning to the Scotties for the third time. In 2006, McCarville was 4-7 at the Scotties, and then the following year at Lethbridge, she was 6-5 in the round robin before losing a tiebreaker to Calgary's Cheryl Bernard.
"At my first Scotties, I was in awe of the entire event,'' McCarville said. "It is such an amazing event and run so well. Going back for my third time, I will have a lot more confidence in my game.''
McCarville won the Ontario championship in Oakville by defeating former champion Alison Goring of Brampton 5-3 in the final. The field also included former champions Sherry Middaugh and Jenn Hanna.
"It felt really good to win the Ontario title because it was one of the best fields in a long time.''
In the final, McCarville and Goring were tied 3-3 playing the final end. "I was lucky to have the hammer on the 10th end. I had to make a wide-open pick for the win and I didn't have to stay with my shooter.''
The McCarville team is blessed a wealth of curling knowledge from Lang and her husband, Rick, who coaches the foursome.
Rick Lang won two Tim Hortons Briers and world championships (1982 and 1985) with Al Hackner. Lorraine Lang will be playing in her eighth Scotties, and she won the world title in 1989, playing third for Heather Houston.
"Lorraine brings so much to the to our team,'' McCarville said. "She is very competitive and a role model for us. She has achieved so much in curling because she is so dedicated to the team.
"Rick [coach Lang] is new to the team this year. He comes to every practice, and he pushes us hard. He is a very positive person, and we have so much confidence in him. Both Lorraine and Rick are very good at reading the ice, and I trust them when they tell me something.
"Our goal at the Scotties is to make the playoffs and hopefully qualify for the pre-Olympic Trials. If we don't, we'll reassess our situation.''
McCarville, who has never been to Victoria, expects to have a lot of tough games at the Scotties.
"There is always a great field at the Scotties, and there is never an easy game. Every team has to be very good just to get to the Canadian championship.
"I think some of the favourites in Victoria will be Jennifer Jones [defending champion from Winnipeg], Cheryl Bernard, Heather Strong and Stefanie Lawton.''
McCarville also played third in the 2005 Canadian mixed championship, curling third for Joe Scharf.
