Skip “feels well” and could rejoin her team
Canadian Olympic Trials finalist Tracy Fleury has been knocked out of the start of this weekend’s Canadian women’s championship in Thunder Bay, Ont.
The team posted on social media moments ago, announcing her positive PCR test before departure for the host site.
“We are excited to start the Scotties today,” the post reads. “Unfortunately, due to a positive covid test we will starting the event without Tracy. However the good news is she feels well and the positive test was from long enough ago that she could join us as early as this weekend.”
The post acknowledges the team is following event protocols. “Super spare” Robyn Njegovan will start the championship at third stone while Selena Njegovan takes over as skip.
A recent bulletin from Curling Canada announced that two STOH competitors have tested positive for COVID-19, indicating the other positive hails from a different team.
“The participants are self-isolated and kept out of the competition’s restricted access zone,” the release said. “They will be permitted in once they pass protocol, including repeated testing and evaluation by Curling Canada’s medical staff.
“No other participants are deemed close contacts of the individuals who tested positive.”
A couple of hours after Team Fleury’s post, the Saskatchewan team skipped by Penny Barker took to social media to reveal their coach, Mark Lang, to be the source of the second positive result.
Team Fleury is one of the event’s three Wild Card entries. Njegovan and company start tonight against New Brunswick’s Andrea Crawford.
Other first-draw matchups see the hosts from Northern Ontario skipped by Krista McCarville take on Chelsea Carey’s Wild Card #2 squad, while Sarah Hill of Newfoundland and Labrador meets Wild Card #3 skipped by Team Homan third Emma Miskew. The fourth game sees Suzanne Birt of P.E.I. battle Nunavut’s Brigitte McPhail.
Saskatchewan starts with two byes, and battles Fleury in their first game on Saturday night.
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