Canadian Mixed Doubles Championship?

As I type this entry of the Last Rock Blog I am in Morris, Manitoba for the Canadian Mixed Curling Championships. Resby Coutts was nice enough to bring me along for the Thursday of this event. Morris has done a fantastic job as a small community to put on such a great event as this one. They are laying the foundation for other small communities to host national championships such as the seniors, juniors and mixed. I am sure the CCA (Canadian Curling Association) will consider Morris in the future if they decide to submit another proposal for another national championship someday.

That brings me to the CCA which has to create a national championship for doubles curling. Canada's representative for the World Doubles Championship is selected from the winning team of the Canadian Mixed Curling Championship. One member of each gender on the winning team will go onto the World Championships later this curling season in St. Paul, MN. I must admit that it is a little strange for two members to be left out of going to the world championships but that is the way it is. Last night on Rock Talk, Resby and I had a chance to speak with Danny Lamoureux of the CCA on how teams decide who will go to the World Championship. Here are the three options:

1. The team decides
2. There is a two team playoff between the 4 members
3. The team decides to have someone on behalf of the CCA

Every team at the Canadian Mixed Curling Championship must choose between these three options prior to the event. This is up to the team and I have nothing against what they choose. It did surprise me that one team chose option three. I would never want to be in this situation to be "chosen" to go to a curling championship. At some curling associations around the world each player is hand picked to represent their country. In Canada we have the benefit in depth of skilled curlers. This leads to competition to decide the best teams who earn the opportunity to play at provincial, national and world championships.

I may be splitting hairs on such a small issue where 2 people will be chosen but this is the only Canadian representatives who could be "chosen" to go to the world championships. The CCA has a chance to create a Canadian Mixed  Doubles championships. The world championships are held together with the world seniors championship. What is stopping the CCA from doing the same thing? Nothing that comes to mind. I am sure the provincial curling associations could hold open provincial championships to send winners to a national mixed doubles championship.

Thanks for taking sometime to read my little rant. You can me on Rock Talk with Resby Coutts every Wednesday night at 7pm on Sports Radio 1290. Till next time, have a good one!

Jordan Bauldic