After narrowly missing out on a title win in the opening event of their Canadian tour, European bronze medallists Team Morrison head across Ontario this week to contest the KW Fall Classic at the KW Granite Club in Waterloo.
Operating as a five-player team this season, Rebecca Morrison, Gina Aitken, Jen Dodds, Sophie Sinclair and Sophie Jackson contributed to a powerful showing by Scottish teams at last weekend’s Stu Sells Oakville Tankard as they contested the final of the women’s event while world champions Team Mouat were facing compatriots Team Whyte in the men’s final.
A close fought encounter ultimately saw Morrison’s women miss out at an extra end to Korea’s Team Seungyoun Ha, but their overall performance has fed their belief ahead of the KW Fall Classic getting under way today.
“We were so close to getting the title in Oakville with the final going to an extra end, but we still know we have more to give and we are hoping we can go one step further at the KW Fall Classic and take the win home this weekend,” said skip Morrison.
“It was really positive seeing all of the Scottish teams getting to the final at Oakville.
“We couldn’t have asked for a lot more and just really good vibes out here with all our teams and everyone is playing well and it just creates a great feeling among all the players.”
The trip across the Atlantic has provided their first opportunity to compete together since Olympic gold medallist Jen Dodds joined the team on a permanent basis after going to the World Championships as their alternate last season and they have carefully planned out how to keep all five players match fit, while maximising continuity.
Last weekend Dodds and Sophie Sinclair swapped places throughout the event and this time around it will be the turn of Aitken and Jackson.
“We are going to continue to utilise all five players on ice this weekend and we have already planned out ahead of time that Gina and Sophie will be swapping in and out during this tournament,” said Morrison.
Team Morrison narrowly miss out on completing @BritishCurling double @Stusellsto Oakville Tankard after losing out to Korea's Team Seungyoun Ha 5-4 at an extra end in the women's final . #curling pic.twitter.com/rfdmvQc0N7
— British Curling (@BritishCurling) September 10, 2023
“In fact, we have planned all of our competitions for this block of the season and who is going to be on the ice, so it is not a case of swapping players in and out depending on how a competition goes. Everything is planned out ahead of time.
“We didn’t ever want it to be a case of somebody sitting off for a full event while we are out here in Canada, so at each competition there are going to be different people swapping in and out off the ice.”
They will be joined in Waterloo by World University Games men’s champions Team Craik who have newly arrived in the country and will also be competing alongside Mouat and Whyte at the Shorty Jenkins Classic next week.
Team Morrison will also be the only Scottish women at the Shorty Jenkins, but closer to home, their British Curling colleagues, Teams Henderson and Team Munro will be in action at the Women’s Masters in Basel this weekend.