Team Ontario-Homan, left to right, alternate Rachel Brown, lead Sarah Wilkes, second Emma Miskew, vice-skip Tracy Fleury and skip Rachel Homan, right, celebrate after defeating Team Manitoba-Jones in the final at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Calgary, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
A team-by-team look at the field for the world women’s curling championships, running from March 16-March 24 at Centre 200 in Sydney, N.S.
Team members are listed from third to lead.
Rachel Homan – Canada
Tracy Fleury, Emma Miskew, Sarah Wilkes
Ottawa Curling Club
Homan returns to the world championships after last winning the title in 2017. Her rink has a 48-5 record this season and leads the World Curling Federation’s rankings.
Madeleine Dupont – Denmark
Mathilde Halse, Denise Dupont, My Larsen
Hvidovre & Gentofte Curling Clubs
Dupont skipped Denmark to a gold medal at the 2022 European championships in Ostersund, Sweden. Her best record as a skip at worlds was 8-6 in 2021 in Calgary.
Liisa Turmann – Estonia
Erika Tuvike, Kerli Laidsalu, Heili Grossman
Curling Tallinn
Turmann throws second rocks, while Tuvike throws final stones and Laidsalu is third. The team had a 1-11 record at the 2021 world championships in Calgary.
Stefania Constantini – Italy
Elena Mathis, Angela Romei, Giulia Zardini Lacedelli
Various curling clubs
Constantini won Olympic gold with Amos Mosaner in mixed doubles at the 2022 Beijing Games. The rink finished second at the 2023 European championships in Aberdeen, Scotland.
Miyu Ueno – Japan
Asuka Kanai, Junko Nishimuro, Yui Ueno
Karuizawa Curling Club
Miyu Ueno was part of Sae Yamamoto’s team that won the 2022 world junior gold medal. Nishimuro is the only member of the team that has previously appeared at the world championships.
Marianne Roervik – Norway
Kristin Skaslien, Mille Haslev Nordbye, Martine Roenning
Lillehammer Curling Club
Roervik, a skip who throws third stones, led Norway to a silver medal at the 2023 world championships in Sandviken, Sweden. Skaslien, who throws skip rocks, won a silver medal with Magnus Nedregotten in mixed doubles at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
Jessica Smith – New Zealand
Courtney Smith, Bridget Becker, Holly Thompson
Various curling clubs
Smith’s rink is making their second appearance at worlds after going 0-12 at the 2023 championships. Becker won the Frances Brodie Award for sportsmanship.
Rebecca Morrison – Scotland
Jennifer Dodds, Sophie Sinclair, Sophie Jackson
Various curling clubs
Dodds was a member of Eve Muirhead’s rink that won gold for Britain at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics.
Eunji Gim – South Korea
Minji Kim, Suji Kim, Yeeun Seol
Uijeongbu Curling Club
South Korea is ranked third in the world by the World Curling Federation. The rink won the 2023 Pan Continental Curling Championship in Kelowna, B.C., with an 8-1 record.
Anna Hasselborg – Sweden
Sara McManus, Agnes Knochenhauer, Sofia Mabergs
Sundbybergs Curlingklubb
Sweden won Olympic gold at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games and bronze in Beijing in 2022. The rink also captured world championship silver in 2019 at Silkeborg, Denmark, and 2018 in North Bay, Ont.
Silvana Tirinzoni – Switzerland
Alina Paetz, Selina Witschonke, Carole Howald
Various curling clubs
Tirinzoni and Paetz are looking to become the first women to win five consecutive world titles. Howald played on last year’s team while Witschonke is making her world championship debut. The Swiss rink is ranked second in the world.
Dilsat Yildiz – Turkey
Oznur Polat, Ifayet Safak Calikusu, Berfin Sengul
Various curling clubs
Safak Calikusu joins a rink that’s making its second world championships appearance.
Tabitha Peterson – U.S.
Cory Thiesse, Tara Peterson, Becca Hamilton
Various curling clubs
Peterson skipped the U.S. to bronze at the 2021 championships in Calgary. Thiesse won gold at the world mixed doubles championships in 2023 with Korey Dropkin and bronze with John Shuster in 2019.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 15, 2024.
