Casey accepts invitation for pre-Olympic trials curling event

Seven Mile Bay native and Winsloe resident Adam Casey confirmed on Friday that his Saskatchewan rink, which curled out of the Highland Curling Club in Regina this past season, has accepted an invitation for the final qualifying event for the Olympic Curling Trials after securing enough points through the Canadian Team Ranking System (CTRS) for an invitation.  
“We had done the math and knew we were in a position to receive one,” said Casey in a phone interview with the Journal Pioneer from Calgary, where he is on a family vacation. “It’s exciting, and one of the goals I set going into this year was to earn one of those spots.”
A media release issued by Curling Canada explained the Summerside event will determine the final two men’s and final two women’s direct-entry berths into the 2017 Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings, which will determine the Canadian rinks for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
The pre-trials event will feature 24 teams – 12 men and 12 women – at Credit Union Place from Nov. 6 to 12.
Casey, third stone Catlin Schneider, second stone Shaun Meachem and lead Dustin Kidby went 7-1 (won-lost) en route to winning the Saskatchewan provincial men’s championship, and represented the province at the Tim Hortons Brier in St. John’s, N.L.
“We kind of took the long way towards earning that invitation,” said Casey, 27. “It wasn’t until the last three events of the year that we put ourselves in a position where we would receive one.
“We had to play well down the stretch, and it was a big accomplishment for us in that sense.”

Lineups
With off-season lineup shuffles ongoing, it’s important to note that rinks must retain three of the players who earned the qualifying points, and have them on the ice at all times to maintain eligibility.
“There is some lineup shuffling going on with all the teams at this point,” said Casey, who noted his rink is still working on “what the final lineup will look like,” and he hopes to have that finalized in a couple of weeks.
“At the very least we will maintain three of four to keep that invitation because it was a goal for us, and a big goal for me to get a chance to play in Summerside,” continued Casey.

Not first time
This will not be the first time Casey has curled in a major event at Credit Union Place. He previously participated in the Grand Slam of Curling’s Players’ Championship.
“It was fun to be a part of that event in Summerside, but this is the pre-trials event to get to the Olympic trials,” emphasized Casey. “It’s that much more significant, so it will raise the bar of pressure and the level you need to perform at to get through an event like that. Hopefully, we will have awesome crowds out.”

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Invitations
Invited teams for 2017 Road to the Roar Pre-Trials:
Men
Greg Balsdon, Kingston, Ont.
Brendan Bottcher, Edmonton, Alta.
Adam Casey, Charlottetown/Regina.
Dayna Deruelle, Brampton, Ont.
Matt Dunstone, Winnipeg, Man.
Jason Gunnlaughson, Winnipeg, Man.
Glenn Howard, Penetanguishene, Ont.
Bruce Korte, Saskatoon, Sask.
William Lyburn, Winnipeg, Man.
Jean-Michel Ménard, Gatineau, Que.
John Morris, Kelowna/Vernon, B.C.
Charley Thomas, Calgary, Alta.

Women
Nadine Chyz, Calgary, Alta.
Kerri Einarson, Winnipeg, Man.
Tracy Fleury, Sudbury, Ont.
Jacqueline Harrison, Mississauga, Ont.
Shannon Kleibrink, Okotoks, Alta.
Stefanie Lawton, Saskatoon, Sask.
Krista McCarville, Thunder Bay, Ont.
Sherry Middaugh, Coldwater, Ont.
Darcy Robertson, Winnipeg, Man.
Kelsey Rocque, Edmonton, Alta.
Julie Tippin, Woodstock, Ont.
Briane Meilleur, Winnipeg, Man.
Karla Thompson, Kamloops, B.C.
NOTE: Teams Meilleur and Thompson finished in a virtual tie for the 12 and final invitation. Should no teams above them decline their invitations, the teams will play a tiebreaker for the final berth on a date and at a location to be determined.