The RDC Queens are set to defend their national curling crown this weekend.
Both the Kings and Queens will hit the ice Saturday in Leduc, Alta. for the Canadian College Athletic Association/ Curling Canada Championships.
The Queens, who won gold at the CCAA Curling Championships last year, are coming off an Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference title victory last month while the Kings won provincial silver.
Sara McMann, the 2017-2018 ACAC Female Curler of the Year will skip the RDC ladies and will be joined by Katie Primrose (lead), Shelby Primrose (second), Brett Day (third) and Ashlyn Wozny (alternate). The ACAC title was the first in 36 years for the Queens.
In Leduc, the Kings will be led by Austin Kelts-Larsen (skip), Jordan Smith (shared lead), Shayne Copeland (shared lead), 2017-18 All-Conference team selection Andrew Jones (second) and Carter Snethun (third).
“All of the teams at nationals will be good and we expect to be competitive if we curl the way that we can,” said RDC Curling coach Brad Hamilton.
“Both the Queens and Kings want to finish in the top four in the round robin and then compete for a medal. Sara, Brett, Katie, Austin and Shayne have experience at nationals so they will know what to expect.”
If the Queens hope to repeat as champions, they’ll need to defeat the Camosun Chargers (Pacific Western Athletic Association), MacEwan University Griffins (ACAC), NAIT Ooks (ACAC), Fanshawe Falcons (Ontario Colleges Athletic Association), Fleming Knights (OCAA), Niagara Knights (OCAA) and Holland Hurricanes (Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association).
The Kings will battle against the Douglas Royals (PacWest), University of Alberta Augustana Vikings (ACAC), Concordia Thunder (ACAC), NAIT Ooks (ACAC), Fanshawe Falcons (OCAA), Niagara Knights (OCAA) and Sault Cougars (OCAA).
Hamilton added that the team has really ramped up their focus the last two weeks in anticipation of nationals and should be ready when the first stones are thrown on Saturday.
“We will play on arena ice instead of curling club ice which is a new experience for us but it probably will be for most of the teams. We are excited and will be ready for competition,” Hamilton said.
Nationals start on March 24 with round robin draws, before the semi-finals on March 27. The bronze and gold medal games will go at noon, on March 28.
Email sports tips to Byron Hackett
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