Yichun Curling: Up, up and away

Day 1 - A-Traveling We Go

by Molly Bonner

My alarm sounds at 4:15 a.m. Is today really here?! The three hours of sleep I got last night feels like an eternity and I am so excited to embark on this adventure with my team.

Today, we (Team Patti Lank, aka Team USA for this event) are off to Beijing to compete in the inaugural edition of the Yichun International Ladies Competition. A brief intro would prove that I am the lead for Team Lank; it would also prove that I enjoy writing and social media just about as much as I enjoy sweeping Patti’s rock to the button for the win (that means I really love it).

So, here I am blogging – from China! I plan to give you an insider’s look into what is happening “across the pond” at this new competition. I look forward to taking time each day to recap the event, and also the many entertaining off-ice moments we are sure to encounter over the next week.

While en route to Beijing via Minneapolis, my layover was in Toronto – a 5-hour layover to be exact. Okay, time for a couple of caesars to pass the time with the new friends I met on my first flight of the day.

While waiting to board the 13.5-hour flight, it’s quite clear to me that I haven’t seen this many fanny packs since our family vacation to Disneyworld in 1998. If I were claustrophobic, that would be setting in at this point as I see the hundreds upon hundreds of travellers stand in line to hop on the same flight as I.

I was able to get bumped to an aisle seat, Hallelujah! Happy as a clam, I make my way back to the nosebleeds of the airplane, row 62 to be precise. I find myself seated next to an extremely jovial Chinese man. To say the least, I am quick to learn that I should have taught myself to say “I don’t speak ANY Chinese” within the first few seconds of our interaction (twitter tag: #oops). He touches my red hair and says “flower.” I smile and nod – this is going to be a good flight.

We spent an extra two hours on the runway (post-entire flight being seated, mind you) as “A carry-on bag is being held by the bomb squad,” word for word as our lead flight attendant announced over the PA.

WHAT?!

How’s that for some comforting pre-flight communication? If communication strategies have changed that much “since I was in school,” (really not long ago enough to use the phrase) it looks like I better get back to the classroom ASAP. But, hey, you’ve always got to value honesty. Mom: now aren’t you glad I wasn’t giving you text message updates today?

With Tylenol PM at the ready, a new iTunes playlist, and my lavender-scented eye mask, I recline my seat at the earliest moment possible after take-off.

I think you are due for a little information on what exactly is happening on the ice in China. This is, after all, a curling blog, right? So here’s the scoop...

The Chinese Curling Association (CCA) has established the Yichun International Ladies Competition. This is Yichun’s first international curling tournament, and the city and CCA are extremely exciting to host teams as they work to further develop the sport of curling.

This is an eight-team, 10-end round robin bonspiel that “officially” begins on December 15... however, the Organizing Committee has done a great job in terms of scheduling sufficient travel and practice time for the participating teams.

The eight participating nations (teams) are as follows: Canada (Team Shannon Kleibrink of Calgary), China, China Juniors, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, United States and Yichun. The 10-end games will be are held at 10:00 am and 4:00 pm daily and, needless to say, for those that qualify (hopefully that’s us!) nine games in a five-day timeframe will be great training for the U.S. playdowns that will be arriving before we know it.

Keith Wendorf, the Director of Competitions for the World Curling Federation, is the Chief Umpire of the event, and I must say that the Chinese have done a rather impressive job of putting this all together.

The next 14 hours become a blur of turbulence, my affable neighbor taking up way too much space, clock-watching, and rice and noodles. In just a couple of hours we will land in Beijing, where it will be 5:00 pm. I very eager to get sightseeing and interact with the Chinese people. Likewise, I am also looking forward to seeing our hotel (in downtown Beijing) ... and my bed.

After three days in Beijing we’ll travel to Yichun on Wednesday, after a stop in Harbin – the home of most of China’s top-level curlers. Again, I am excited to bring you photos and stories throughout this adventure... stay tuned for an update after some sightseeing ventures!

Molly Bonner is way too indecisive to give a few descriptors of herself, but will try. She is an eternal optimist; big fan of health, wellness, and all things sports; and is currently deciding which one of her two-dozen passions should be turned into her dream job. Follow her Chinese adventure here, and also on Twitter: @mollbon