 |
© Times-Herald photo by Matthew Gourlie
Marie Wright delivers a stone while her coach Lorraine Arguin looks on in this file photo. |
"It's kind of a surreal feeling for me at the moment," Wright said. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I'm excited about the chance to be a part of the team."
Wright, who started curling in 2009, was named as an alternate for the team on Jan. 15 in what will be her first appearance for a national team.
"I had just finished up a camp in Richmond, B.C. and I was visiting my sister Debbie in Centralia, Washington when the Canadian Curling Association called me on the Monday (Jan. 12)," Wright said.
"It was a massive surprise for me and I was pretty excited. As soon I finished chatting with them I was calling as many people as I could."
In addition to letting her friends and family know about her accomplishment Wright began the process of getting everything in order before she flies over to Finland on Feb. 1.
"I had to renew my passport as it needs to have at least six months left on it when I go over to Finland and it was going to run out in June," Wright said.
"I needed to make sure that I have all of my medical forms up to date so I can take them with me to Finland and there have been a lot of other small things that I need to have finished up before I leave. It's been a little bit hectic."
Wright has had time to get on the ice as well as she plays in her Monday night league at the Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre.
She travelled to Winnipeg this weekend to meet up with the other members of Team Canada.
"I was asked if I wanted to go after I got named to the team," Wright said. "This is the last camp before everyone goes to Finland so it was a no-brainer for me to head over there.
"I'm going to find out a lot more about what it will be like at the World Championships, which is good because I have a lot of questions for them."
The rink will be skipped by Mark Idelson of London, Ont., who has served as an alternate in the past and is replacing long-time national team skip Jim Armstrong of Cambridge, Ont.
Armstrong is unable to take part in the event due to health issues.
The rest of the team consists of Ina Forest of Armstrong, B.C., Dennis Thiessen of Sanford, Man. and Sonja Gaudet of Vernon, B.C.
"I've met everyone on the team already," Wright said. "I know them from curling camps or from the nationals so there won't be a long process of getting to know everybody."
Although Wright will be the new face to a team that has won the last three World Championships she is hoping to fit right in with the group as she gets used to competing on an international stage.
"I just want to learn as much as I can from the entire experience," Wright said. "It would be great to come away with a medal but I want to have as much fun as possible while I'm in Finland."
A send-off party for Wright and Carson Ackerman's Canada Winter Games rink will take place at the Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre on Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. in the Great Western Lounge.
No comments:
Post a Comment