CORNWALL, P.E.I. – Lauren Lenentine’s curling season has been extended and has required a passport.
The Cornwall Curling Club skip leaves Tuesday for Scotland as the alternate for the Nova Scotia-based squad that will represent Canada at the World Junior Curling Championship.
“It’s kind of incredible,” said Lenentine, a 17-year-old New Dominion native. “Not many people have the chance to say that they represented Canada at an international event.”
The Kaitlyn Jones-skipped rink defeated Quebec 5-3 a month ago to win the national championship in Shawinigan, Que. Lenentine skipped P.E.I. to a 5-0 start at the event and finished 5-5 as all four Atlantic provinces finished in the top eight.
“We had a really good week at nationals,” said Lenentine, who has three years of junior eligibility remaining. “It shows that the P.E.I. curling teams can compete at that level.”
The Grade 12 student at Bluefield High School said she was watching the men’s final in Shawinigan when she got a text from her coach, Pat Quilty, to come downstairs at the rink. When Lenentine walked around the corner, there was the Nova Scotia squad. Lenentine wasn’t sure what was going on at first, but she didn’t hesitate when they asked her to join them for the worlds.
“It’s not something you kind of expect to happen,” she admitted, noting “a lot of tears were shed.”
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Lenentine knows she might not see any ice time in Scotland, and she’s fine with that.
“I just want to enjoy the experience and do my best at helping them achieve the goals that they set,” Lenentine said, noting she has more of a support role dealing with rocks and ice conditions. “To have this experience and be able to bring it back home is going to be something good to share with others.”
Lenentine said she has played against some of her new teammates since 2013 and knew them from competing at the same events. She’s had a few practices as part of Team Canada and attended send-off ceremonies last weekend at curling clubs in Halifax and Truro.
The team leaves Tuesday, has a practice day Friday and starts play on Saturday.