Part 1: Newsflash! What happened in the Curling World in August 2021?

Things are starting to get back to normal, or at least a new normal. Many rinks and clubs across the world are opening back up for the season, one that will arguably be the most crucial in a long time. Teams are scrambling to find new and innovative ways to reach the Olympics, and for those that already are in to Beijing 2022, finding a way to preserve much-needed energy and motivation heading into the pinnacle event of our sport. 

This is Part 1 of August 2021's Newsflash! edition (make sure to keep a look out for Part 2 in the near future 😉). Here is a rundown of news, announcements, and celebrations made in the month of August 2021:

Announcements: 

• Curling Canada: Sudbury will host the 2022 USports and CCAA Championships from March 15-19. The 2022 Canadian Mixed Doubles Championship will follow from March 22-27.
• World Curling Federation: World Team Rankings points system to re-open for the 2021-2022 with modifications. https://worldcurling.org/2021/08/team-rankings-update/
• Curling Canada: Teams for the Home Hardware Pre-Trials in Liverpool, NS were announced. The teams and dates for the Trials Direct-Entry Event and Pre-Trials Direct Entry Event have also been revealed, along with the RA Centre in Ottawa as the host venue.

The teams for the @home_hardware Curling Pre-Trials, Canadian Curling Trials Direct-Entry Event, Canadian Curling Pre-Trials Direct-Entry Event have been named! Full details on this and dates/locations in our story ➡️ https://t.co/pLnfeDa3nd pic.twitter.com/vx0qB5u3rr

— Curling Canada (@CurlingCanada) August 10, 2021

• World Curling Federation: The 2021 Pacific-Asia Curling Championship will be contested in Almaty, Kazakhstan from November 6-13.
• Curling Canada: The Qualification process for the 2022 Canad Inns Canadian Mixed Doubles Trials was unveiled, as multiple qualification spiels across Canada and the Canadian Mixed Doubles Rankings will decide the final teams to join the six already-qualified duos. https://www.curling.ca/blog/2021/08/12/mixed-doubles-trials-qualifying-process/ 
• World Curling Federation: The 2022 World Mixed Doubles Qualification Event will be held at the Forfar Rink in Angus, Scotland to decide the last four teams that will participate later in the main world event.
• USA Curling: Curling Night in America will be heading to Irvine, California from August 24-27 for taping. The countries competing will include the USA, Canada, Germany, and Denmark. The nine-week series will premiere on September 19th. https://www.usacurling.org/press-releases/2021-curling-night-in-america-teams-confirmed
• British Curling: The first ever Euro Super Series will take place at Stirling's National Curling Academy from August 31-September 5. 12 men's and women's team will compete in two round robin pools of six, with the winners of each squaring off in the semis and finals. Notable men's teams include Edin, Mouat, DeCruz, Schwaller, and Paterson, while the women's side is headlined by Hasselborg, Tirinzoni, 'GB Red', and 'GB Blue', which will comprise of members from the former Muirhead and Aitken teams. https://www.britishcurling.org.uk/news/british-curling-to-host-world-class-event-in-launching-new-season/
• World Curling Federation: Las Vegas will again to play host to the World Men's Championship. The Orleans Arena hosted the event in 2018, with Sweden's Niklas Edin capturing Gold. https://worldcurling.org/2021/08/wmcc2022-host/
• Grand Slam of Curling: The 2021-2022 GSOC schedule will see three cities in Alberta and two cities in Ontario hosting five slam events from October to May.

🚨 Don't call it a comeback, we've been here for years!

The 2021-22 #GSOC schedule is now set as we're heading to @townofoakville, @CityChestermere, @CityofCamrose, @cityoftoronto & @TownOfOlds pic.twitter.com/qUp70ANJW0

— Pinty's Grand Slam of Curling (@grandslamcurl) August 12, 2021                     

 

Birthdays:

Happiest of birthdays to Switzerland's Melanie Barbezat (August 10), Tyler Tardi (August 10), Christopher Plys (August 13), Braeden Moskowy (August 14), Benoit Schwarz (August 19), Lori Eddy (August 26), and Bruce Mouat (August 27)! 🎂🥳🥳🎉

In Memoriam:

Don Lewis was inducted into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in 1989. Photo courtesy of CurlSask.

• We commemorate former president Don Lewis who passed away on Wednesday August 11 at age 85. The Regina native spent much of his life playing, innovating the craft of icemaking, and volunteering. He served as the chief ice technician at countless Canadian and world events, including 14 Briers, 18 world championships, and the 1988 Winter Olympics (where curling was a demonstration sport). Lewis became president of the CCA during the 2001-2002 curling season. 

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