More Scotties playdowns on tap: Alberta, P.E.I., Newfoundland provincials in the hack
Calgary's Kayla Skrlik grows from last year's final loss in bid for redemption at Rimbey Curling Club
Kayla Skrlik admittedly was “devastated” by the failures in the final of the 2024 Alberta Scotties.
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Up two with two ends to play in the championship draw, the defending champ saw Selena Sturmay steal one in the ninth and two more in the 10th — on a too-heavy Skrlik hammer draw to the four-foot circle — to lose what was firm control of a return to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
“Honestly, I was devastated for quite a while,” a candid Skrlik said on the eve of this year’s provincial championship in Rimbey. “It was a really tough way to lose a game we really wanted to win.
“But looking back, I learned a lot — and I’m hoping I don’t repeat those mistakes again.”
Indeed, that devastation begat motivation, giving Skrlik and her Calgary crew fuel to begin anew for the 2024-25 campaign, which has been a pretty darn strong one so far.
“To talk our season down to two ends last year would do it a disservice,” Skrlik declared. “We had a rough season the whole way. I couldn’t finish off a lot of games. And I think that’s a really big reflection of this season.
“I sort of spent some time turning things around and we reshaped our lineup and rejuvenated our team.”
Heading to this year’s provincials for redemption at the Rimbey Curling Club is a lineup that now includes veteran Northwest Territories winner Margot Flemming, who has made a trip repping NWT to the Scotties the past four years.
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She’s in at third for the departed Brittany Tran, bringing a key sense of calm to the rink, while Ashton Skrlik and Geri-Lynn Ramsay swapped positions to slot the skip’s younger sister at second and the veteran Ramsay at lead.
“It’s been great,” said skip Skrlik, who’s backed by the results of a year that has seen the Garrison Curling Club team play in two Grand Slam of Curling events and slide into third place — behind only super-curlers Rachel Homan and Kerri Einarson — in the Canadian Team Ranking System.
“Gerry, Ashton and I have been trying to get to a slam — get to that top five in Canada ranking spot — for our whole time together. And then adding Margot has been a really big asset for us to give us that edge to get the rest of the way.”
That success has meant stringing together more shots in each end, a climb on the Canadian curling landscape and a boost in confidence heading back to provincials, making Skrlik feel like they are in a good headspace for redemption in Rimbey and a return to the Scotties.
“More smooth sailing off the hop this year,” the 27-year-old skip said. “But Ashton (25) and I are still quite young. And if we take a step back and look at our season last year, we accomplished quite a bit. And we’ve accomplished more this year.
“I’ve joked that the only one that was comfortable in their position was probably me because I was the only one that didn’t have to change anything going into this year,” Skrlik said. “Gerry’s still holding the broom but playing lead now. Ashton is now playing second. And Margot moved all the way to Calgary to join us
“We sort of thought there would be a bit of a learning curve, but Margot fit in right away. And we’ve spent a lot of time on the road together. So we’re sort of like a family. Definitely, like sisters.”
Sisters on a mission to return to the Scotties.
“It’s been what we’ve built our whole season around, so there’s still quite a bit of pressure,” she said. “But Alberta’s got depth — and I’d hate to be the team that underestimates anyone at provincials. We were once a team that was underestimated, and then we won provincials to go to the Scotties.”
Here’s a breakdown of all the provincial championships starting up Wednesday on the Scotties trail:
ALBERTA
Reigning champ Selena Sturmay benefited from curling’s early January shakeup that saw Karlee Burgess move from Team Carey to Team Einarson.
Because of Burgess’ departure, the Scotties pre-qualifying spot that was Carey’s is now Sturmay’s, meaning the Alberta skip and her squad are no longer in the provincial competition.
When and where: Wednesday-Sunday, Rimbey Curling Club
Defending champ: Sturmay (Edmonton’s Saville Community Sports Centre)
Who to watch: Skrlik, champ in 2023; Robyn Silvernagle, Scotties bronze medallist in 2019 for Saskatchewan; Myla Plett, 12th on CTRS
The skinny: Without Sturmay and Serena Gray-Withers’ University of Alberta crew — which is currently representing Canada at the 2025 FISU Winter World University Games in Italy — in the field, Skrlik’s toughest competition is elsewhere, so it appears to be a clean line for Calgary’s Garrison Curling Club crew to win another Alberta Scotties. But alas, beware of Silvernagle, with her talented crew of longtime teammate Jessie Hunkin and former Casey Scheidegger front-enders Jessie Haughian and Kristie Moore.
NEWFOUNDLAND and LABRADOR
Just a half-dozen teams take up the charge for N.L. honours on the road to the Scotties.
Included is two-time defending champ Stacie Curtis, who is trying to equal her own record for three straight provincial titles (2016-18) and join the company of former Newfoundland star skips Sue Anne Bartlett (1978-81), Laura Phillips (1994-97), Heather Strong (1998-2001 and 2005-09) and Cathy Cunningham (2002-04) in doing so.
When and where: Wednesday-Saturday, St. John’s RE/MAX Centre
Defending champ: Curtis (RE/MAX Centre, St. John’s Curling Club)
Who to watch: Curtis, a seven-time Scotties participant; Sarah Boland, Scotties participant in 2021 and ’22
The skinny: Curtis returns a reshuffled version on last year’s team, with Jessica Wiseman moving from alternate to third and Erica Curtis — Newfoundland’s skip at the Scotties in 2020 — moving from third to lead. But they’ll have to contend with Boland, the winning skip the two years before Curtis started this run. Former Stacie Curtis teammate Erin Porter plays third for Brooke Godsland.
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
Just four teams take up the challenge for P.E.I.’s title.
Included is defending champ Jane DiCarlo, returning with her team and coach Kathy O’Rouke, a P.E.I. curling legend.
DiCarlo is trying to join the likes of Rourke, Suzanne Birt, Robyn MacPhee, Kim Dolan, Suzanne Gaudet and 11 others in skipping teams to multiple Island crowns.
When and where: Thursday-Sunday, Bloomfield’s West Prince Curling Club
Defending champ: DiCarlo (Crapaud Curling Club)
Who to watch: DiCarlo, defending champ
The skinny: DiCarlo looks poised to become the next Island team to go on a run to represent the province. Before her win last year, it was Birt with five years repping P.E.I. at the Scotties. And before Birt, it was MacPhee with consecutive appearances for the Island.
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