Sudbury team to represent northern Ontario at 2021 national curling championship

A Sudbury curling team will be competing on the national stage next year.

The usual qualifying competitions for the Scotties the Canadian women's curling championships are not being held this yearbecause of the pandemic. Instead, last year's champions are being invited to compete.

The Krysta Burns rink from Sudbury placed second last year, butwere invited to compete after the champions, from Thunder Bay, declined the invitation because of family and work commitments, and the four week quarantine requirements.

Amanda Gates, whois on the Sudbury team, said she's excited for herteammates, "for them just to get to experience it and see what it's like."

"I remember my first one and how much of a fire it lit under me to want to go back again and again and again. So I'm excited for them to play at that level."

She acknowledges the tough choice that had to be made by the Thunder Bay Krista McCarville team.

"That team has always been family first," Gates told Morning North CBC host Markus Schwabe.

"That's why they don't playa ton, that's why they just do Scotties. Sowhen I read the article about them making the decision because they didn't want to put their families in harms way, I wasn't surprised by that."