The Tracey Jones and Patti Knezevic rinks may have large cheering sections at this week's B.C. Scotties Tournament of Hearts, but home ice advantage at the Prince George Golf and Curling Club may be overrated.
With extra curl in the ice and a different set of provincial stones used for the event, the two Prince George rinks have to adapt to the conditions just like every other rink at the 10-team event.
"The ice is totally different than it normally is, we've got a lot of swing out there," Jones said following a 7-2 eight-end loss to defending champion Kelly Scott in the opening draw. "Both teams are figuring out how to get the shots made, so there's definitely some learning going on out there."
The fan support is the intangible aspect that could help lift the local rinks in critical situations and largest cheers Monday afternoon came when the home sides scored their points. But the roar of the crowd can only propel a team so far, since mastering the ice is the key.
"You've got to figure it out before the other team and you've got to make your shots," Jones said. "It's the same for both teams, whatever team can adjust and get there first."
Scott also used Monday's first game as a learning experience. She may have six provincial titles, two national championships and world title to her name, but picking up the nuances of the ice is as important to her as any other skip this week.
"We tried to keep it simple to learn the ice and learn how we want to throw the rock out there," Scott said. "I think we had eight good ends of learning what the conditions are. That makes us feel good and that's how you build confidence throughout the week."
Scott stole three of her first four points against Jones to take a 4-0 lead into the fifth end break and cruised to the win over Jones.
Her keeping it simple strategy was on display in the sixth end, when Scott elected to play a wide open Jones stone knowing that it would give the Prince George rink an easier shot for two rather than make a play on the partially buried shot stone.
Jones made no mistake on her last stone, scoring the deuce and building some confidence of her own.
Scott said getting that fourth point in the fifth end was key.
"To be four points up with half a game left is a comfortable position and we just had to play smart and not let them get too many guards or too many rocks in play," she said.
After a blank in the seventh end, Jones had things set up early in the eighth for a potential steal in the eighth which would have allowed her to get back in the game. But a hogged stone followed by a great hit and roll under cover by Scott third Jeanna Schraeder turned the end around. Scott eventually scored three and the teams shook hands.
Jones said her rink wasn't as sharp as the needed to be against the pre-tournament favourites, but getting that game out of the way early is a good thing, according to coach Doug Dalziel.
"I'd rather play her now rather than the end of the bonspiel when we might have to have a win," he said. "It's good to get that one out of the way."
The Jones rink grabbed the final provincials berth and hope to ride that momentum this week. Lead Melinda Kotsch said all those games in three qualifying events mean the team is coming into this week near the top of its game.
"We got to play some highly competitive games right up until three weeks ago," she said. "I think it was a benefit for us."
With so much travel just to reach the Scotties, Jones said the help of sponsors like Sandman, Cougar Fuels, Redwood Plastics, Sun Life, Hydro Mechanical and Joe Martin and Sons was invaluable.
"We wouldn't have been able to do all three of those qualifiers to get here," Jones said.
