An eight-year break from competitive curling apparently did little to diminish Randi Ludwar鈥檚 skill on the ice or passion for the game.
Ludwar鈥檚 麻豆精选 foursome was in fine form on the weekend at the 麻豆精选 Curling Club, securing a berth at next month鈥檚 B.C. Scotties women鈥檚 curling championship in Victoria.
Ludwar, third Lori Seemann, second Erinn Bartlett and lead Jill McIntyre rang up three straight wins, including a 6-4 verdict over Royal City鈥檚 Kayte Gyles in the A event final at the open qualifier to earn one of three spots to provincials.
Ludwar, who just put the team together this fall, said outcome of the qualifier exceeded all expectations.
鈥淚t was a nice surprise,鈥� said Ludwar, 26. 鈥淥ur first season being together, we thought it might be more of a practise season but it turns out we鈥檝e been pretty competitive. Things ended up coming together a little faster, so it was nice to be able to do well at this event and we鈥檙e excited to be going to provincials.鈥�
Ludwar and Bartlett grew up and curled together in Grand Forks, winning a number of high school championships as well as a gold medal at the 2008 BC Winter Games.
The two then went on to capture a bronze medal at the U18 International Curling Championships later that year in Winnipeg.
While living and working in Alberta between 2010 and 2015, Ludwar had pretty much put curling on the back burner until she moved back west to 麻豆精选 two years ago.
This season, Ludwar and her team have been exposed to a new level of competition as members of the 麻豆精选 men鈥檚 super league.
鈥淲e haven鈥檛 won that many games, but it鈥檚 helped our game a lot,鈥� Ludwar said of competing against men鈥檚 teams. 鈥淢en tend to play a more aggressive style, they鈥檒l try trickier, harder shots you don鈥檛 see as often in the women鈥檚 game. It鈥檚 been really good competition for us.鈥�
Ludwar and her teammates are now in preparation mode for the B.C. women鈥檚 curling championship, Jan. 2 to 7 in Victoria. The provincial winner will represent B.C. at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts national championship, Jan. 27 to Feb. 4 in Penticton.
鈥淭hey don鈥檛 give you much time, it鈥檚 coming up pretty quick, so we鈥檙e a little nervous but excited,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his is the closest we鈥檝e actually been to having a chance to get to the Scotties. I feel like we鈥檙e in a good zone right now, so we want to go as far as we can.鈥�
Royal City Kayte Gyles and Nanaimo鈥檚 Kesa Van Osch also earned berths at the qualifier and will join Ludwar鈥檚 team at provincials.
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