NAPANEE, Ont. — The Joeclyn Peterman rink from Red Deer stormed into first place with a pair of wins to open the Canadian Junior Women’s Curling Championship Saturday.
Peterman, third Brittany Tran, second Rebecca Konschuh and lead Kristine Anderson were alone in first place as the only undefeated team on the women’s side of the event after three draws.
The Red Deer Curling Centre team scored four in the ninth end en route to a 9-8 decision in the morning against Kesa Van Osch of B.C. Then in the afternoon, Peterman scored four in the first end and cruised to an 11-2 victory in seven ends against Saskatchewan champion Kristen Streifel.
Peterman wouldn’t predict how many more games the team will need to win in to reach playoffs next weekend, but did say the team would like to continue its winning ways and finish the 12-game round robin undefeated.
“We’re trying not to think too far ahead, but our goal is definitely going to Sweden (for the world championships).
“It’s really exciting now that we’re here,” Peterman said after the second victory. “We’ve been working really hard to get here and it was nice to get those first-day jitters out. We’re comfortable with the ice now.”
The 18-year-old skip stated the team will need to stay focussed for the rest of the week and not get ahead of themselves.
“It’s a long week, so really we will take one game at a time.”
Peterman and her rink are among seven teams making their first-ever appearance at the event. The rest of the teams have experience, especially the foursomes from Northern Ontario. Prince Edward Island and the Yukon.
Kendra Lilly of Sudbury, who finished third in 2010, will be making her fourth appearance for Northern Ontario. Sarah Fullerton will represent PEI for the third time and Yukon’s Sarah Koltun of Whitehorse will make a record sixth nationals appearance as skip.
Koltun, Fullerton and Shannon Birchard of Manitoba are all 1-0 with five other rinsk tied at 1-1.
Peterman faces Futterton in the morning draw today and takes on JAmie Sinclair, 1-1, in the evening.
Saskatchewan’s Trish Paulsen won the junior women’s title last year against the Alberta representatives from Calgary. This year, the Red Deer team is among 13 rinks from across the country hoping to earn the national title and advance to the World tournament in Sweden March 3-11.