Three years after a men's curling calendar broke recent sales records, the Women of Curling are back with a new, high-quality 2017 wall calendar featuring 12 athlete models from four countries.
Each athlete's photography was designed and shot according to her specifications, in conjunction with a volunteer photographer from her community. In addition, each athlete will be selling units to raise funds for a charity or cause she has personally selected.
"I didn't hesitate to join this project, not for a second," said Scotland's Eve Muirhead, whose 2014 Olympic bronze medal-winning squad captured the top prize at the Curling Champions Tour event in Basel, Switzerland on Sunday. "This is all about strong women, dedicated to training, competition and accomplishment in today's world. And it's also about fundraising for causes that are near and dear to each of us."
Muirhead, who has won every medal colour at the World and European Championships, is raising money for Mindspace, a mental health counselling and recovery centre in Perth, Scotland.
The calendars are on sale now at womenofcurling.com for CDN $29.95 (U.S. $34.95).
Free shipping is also available to curling facilities that wish to sell product to their members.
Muirhead threw down the gauntlet to the men's calendar athletes, and to her fellow 2017 athlete models.
"I understand the men's calendar in 2014 sold extremely well," said Muirhead. "Congratulations to them, but now it's our turn. I think the ladies will have the last word on sales figures, because we're going to bring it."
2014 Olympic champion Dawn McEwen watched her husband, Mike McEwen, appear on the cover of the men's calendar. Now, the lead for Winnipeg's legendary Team Jennifer Jones has made her own appearance, and looks forward to a friendly rivalry within her home.
"I might have an advantage because I can draw sales from the city I grew up in," laughed the Ottawa-born Olympic and world champion, whose team finished second at a World Curling Tour event in Calgary on Monday night. "We'll see how it goes. I look forward to my husband pushing for sales as he's competing on tour as well."
The 2017 Women of Curling are:
Emma Miskew - Team Rachel Homan - Ottawa, Canada - raising funds for the Sandra Schmirler Foundation
Taylor McDonald - Team Kelsey Rocque - Edmonton, Canada - raising funds for the Mental Health Foundation
Sofia Mabergs - Team Anna Hasselborg - Härnösand, Sweden - raising funds for the Swedish Curling Academy
Eve Muirhead - Team Muirhead - Stirling, Scotland - raising funds for Mindspace
Dawn McEwen - Team Jennifer Jones - Winnipeg, Canada - raising funds for Manitoba UNDERDOGS Rescue
Rachel Brown - Team Val Sweeting - Edmonton, Canada - raising funds for Boarding for Brant
Daniela Jentsch - Team Jentsch - Füssen, Germany - raising funds for Right To Play
Jocelyn Peterman - Team Chelsea Carey - Calgary, Canada - raising funds for the Smiles Thru Lindsey Foundation
Anna Sidorova - Team Sidorova - Moscow, Russia - raising funds for the Konstantin Khabensky Charitable Foundation
Jamie Sinclair - Team Sinclair - Minnesota, USA - raising funds for youth development at the Charlotte Curling Association
Joanne Courtney - Team Rachel Homan - Ottawa/Edmonton, Canada - raising funds for the Kidney Foundation
Chelsea Carey - Team Carey - Calgary/Winnipeg, Canada - raising funds for KidSport Calgary and Vic’s Little VIPs Memorial Fund
The 2017 Women of Curling Calendar is a co-production of The Community Fundraiser and The Curling News. Additional fundraising revenues will be directed to the Curling Canada Foundation.