Doering with Lott for Team McEwen
Colin Hodgson, the lead for the Manitoba men’s champions skipped by Mike McEwen, is out of the 2022 Brier due to a positive test for COVID-19.
“It’s disappointing,” Hodgson told The Curling News. “Just the timing of it. It puts a lot of pressure on the preparation. All of a sudden there’s big curveball thrown into it for the whole team.”
The Brier, the Canadian men’s curling championship, gets underway this Friday in Lethbridge, Alta. Team McEwen, which had previously announced Colton Lott as their fifth, has moved Lott into the full lineup and announced Kyle Doering as the new alternate.
Hodgson, like many curling athletes, had been extra careful in trying to keep safe and avoid positive tests prior to arrival in Lethbridge. He was surprised to get the positive test.
“Big time,” said Hodgson. “It’s like, I went to the grocery store. The mailbox. I have no idea. Masked the whole time. Sanitized everything, all the restrictions. I’m not sure how it happened.”
While some provincial championships took place to qualify teams for the Canadian women’s (Scotties) and men’s championships, other provinces and territories appointed representatives as they did last year.
Positive tests have been following competitors once championships have been hosted. This happened following the Tournament of Hearts in Thunder Bay and the Manitoba men’s provincial in Selkirk (16 known positives).
Curl Manitoba then cancelled their next championship, the mixed doubles scheduled for the St. Vital Curling Club in Winnipeg.
Manitoba women’s skip Tracy Fleury tested positive prior to the Scotties, and returned to lead the team in time for the playoffs. Hodgson doesn’t think he should try something similar, particularly given his recent battle with a quadriceps injury.
Connie Laliberte-Curl Manitoba“There would be a possibility I could definitely test negative in time to return to the Brier,” said Hodgson. “However, added with the injury, I’m not certain that I could fulfill the roles that need to be (fulfilled).
“I guess cheerleading from home sometimes does make more sense, right?”
Manitoba starts their Brier competition on Mar. 5 against British Columbia veteran Brent Pierce.