Jones, Laing win national mixed curling doubles title
CTV
Sunday before a thoroughly packed house in Sudbury, Jennifer Jones and Brent Laing capped a masterful performance at the 2023 Canadian mixed doubles curling championship to add yet another national gold medal, and their first as teammates.
Jennifer Jones didn't talk about her clutch deuce, the $40,000 winner's cheque or a trip next month to the world mixed curling doubles championship in Gangneung, South Korea.
Instead, moments after she and Brent Laing won the Canadian mixed doubles curling championship at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex, Jones was thrilled to give her partner a hug "right after the game instead of waiting those five minutes to get down to the ice through the crowd."
Like her Horseshoe Valley, Ont., team's strategy and details in the final against Jocelyn Peterman and Brent Gallant of Chestermere, Alta., it was the little things that mattered most.
"We are getting towards the tail end of our careers, so it's going to be a special memory that we'll cherish forever, to be Team Canada together, to share these moments together," said Jones, a six-time Scotties Tournament of Hearts winner to go along her two world championships, her 2014 Olympic gold medal and a Canadian junior championship. "Even winning this felt great."
With a combined 12 Canadian curling championships, seven world titles and an Olympic gold medal between them, it's difficult to believe that something was missing from the trophy cabinet at the household of Jones and Laing.
But Sunday before a thoroughly packed house in Sudbury, Jones and Laing capped a masterful performance at the 2023 Canadian mixed doubles curling championship to add yet another national gold medal, and their first as teammates.
It was a nail-biter to the end, with the teams tied 4-4 heading into the eighth and Jones-Laing holding the hammer. After Peterman half-buried her final shot behind a corner guard, Jones was able to play a hack-weight tap to remove the shot rock and score five for the win, and celebrated as the cheers of the crowd rained down on them.
