CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. - It’s quite a thing being the best in the world, even if you didn’t get to play.
That’s where New Dominion’s Lauren Lenentine stands after she was an alternate with Canada’s junior women’s world championship rink from Nova Scotia.
But Lenentine didn’t mind a bit the Kaitlyn Jones skipped-squad earned the title in Aberdeen, Scotland, with a 7-4 win over defending champion Isabella Wrana of Sweden minus the Islander’s on-ice help.
“It’s still hard to believe. It hasn’t set in yet. I didn’t play and it was and wasn’t (difficult). I got used to it pretty quickly and learned so much sitting on the bench,” said Lenentine, who skipped her foursome to the P.E.I. junior women’s title and a berth in the Canadian juniors.
Lenentine, 17, said watching meant seeing the game from a different perspective, absorbing how other teams play and understanding how coaches approach curling.
“There are an infinite number of ways to play the game,” she said. “The experience is going to help me be a better curler.”
Lenentine skipped P.E.I. to a 5-0 start at the Canadian juniors in January and finished 5-5. She was asked after nationals to join the Jones rink for the worlds after it won the Canadian title.
And the international event had its moments, many of them noisy as spectators didn’t hold back their applause or excitement.
“Sometimes the fans used air horns. Fans are cheering, it’s very loud. You do learn to block it out. It’s a very social championship, you interact with the other teams,” she said.
Lenentine hasn’t a place for the gold medal yet, though she thought of perhaps a shadow box big enough for it and her team jacket as a display case.
Next up for the soon-to-be Bluefield High School grad is a curling camp next month in Calgary, Alta., then playing in the Champions Cup where she’s attending as an alternate again with her world championship mates later in April, also in Calgary.
All that in hopes of another shot at the worlds, maybe this time representing P.E.I.
“That would be an added bonus,” said Lenentine. “I’m able to say the motivation to return is huge. I had such a good time I want to re-live it.”
Lenetine’s P.E.I. rink also includes included third Kristie Rogers, second Breanne Burgoyne, lead Rachel O’Connor and coach Pat Quilty.
The foursome finished second at the provincial Scotties championship.
