The biggest news on day one of the 2024 Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Calgary on Friday was not one the ice, but off of it, as it was ruled that Briane Harris of Winnipeg, Manitoba was ineligible to compete at this year’s Canadian National Women’s Curling Championship. No more explanation has been given at this time. There is wide speculation on the World Wide Web through social media as to various reasons, but for now there is nothing more that can be said. Harris is the lead on Kerri Einarson’s Team Canada squad that has won the last four Scotties Tournament of Hearts. She will be replaced in the lineup by the Canadian fifth Krysten Karwacki of Winnipeg.
On Friday, Canada had their first game of the 2024 Scotties and did not miss a beat. They clobbered Team Quebec 8-2. This is a new group from Quebec skipped by Laurie St-Georges. That is because Quebec’s new third is Jamie Sinclair of Anchorage, Alaska. Sinclair has represented the United States at two Women’s World Curling Championships, and is a dual citizen. She also curled with Rachel Homan as a junior, and won a gold medal for Ontario at the 2007 Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse, Yukon. In other action on Friday, Saskatchewan beat Prince Edward Island 11-8, Alberta beat Manitoba 7-5, and Northern Ontario beat British Columbia 9-5.
