Johnny Mo’s PointsBet Invitational Preview and Picks: Women’s Bracket

While a longshot winner is never out of the question, Johnny Mo says Team Homan is the top choice at the 2024 PointsBet Invitational

By MARIO ANNICCHIARICO 

When it comes down to picking winners at the 2024 PointsBet Invitational, John Morris is going to stick to the favourite, although he has a keen interest in at least one longshot on the women’s side of the curling draw. 

The third annual event, set for Sept. 25-29 at the Winsport Event Centre in Calgary, leads off the Curling Canada Season of Champions with 16 women’s and 16 men’s teams competing in the single knockout event. A loss means you’re immediately eliminated from the competition. 

“It’s going to be hard to bet against Rachel. She’s my favourite,” Morris, the two-time Olympic gold medallist and PointsBet spokesman, said of his selection of Team Rachel Homan as the likely winner on the women’s side. 

“What you saw from Rachel and her team last year was all world. They reached full potential, and it was great to see. I’d be hard-pressed to bet on anyone else.” 

Morris is leaning heavily on the team that also features vice-skip Tracy Fleury, second Emma Miskew, lead Sarah Wilkes and new coach Brendan Bottcher, along with skip Homan. The team is coming off a very successful 2023-24 season. Team Homan recently captured the AMJ Campbell Shorty Jenkins Classic, defeating Silvana Tirinzoni 6-5 in the final. 

Here’s a look at the women’s draw, according to Morris. 

“Just because their favourites, doesn’t mean other teams can’t win it,” suggested Morris. “Curling is like any other sport and it is early season, too. Teams aren’t fully rounded into form yet and there’s always a good chance of an upset.” 

Homan – of the Ottawa Curling Club – is ranked No. 1 entering the competition and will face No. 16, Team Gabby Wood of Concordia College in Edmonton, the 2024 Canadian Colleges Athletic Association champion. 

Rounding out the top half of the women’s draw is No. 8 Team Corryn Brown of B.C. vs. No. 9 Serena Gray-Withers of the University of Alberta Pandas, the women’s 2024 USPORTS champion. No. 5 Team Selena Sturmay, of the Saville Community Sports Centre in Edmonton, faces No. 12 Team Ashley Thevenot of the Nutana Curling Club in Saskatoon; and No. 4, veteran Team Kaitlyn Lawes of the Fort Rouge Curling Club in Winnipeg plays No. 13, Team Taylor Reese-Hansen of the Victoria Curling Club, the recent U-25 NextGen Classic women’s champion. 

Morris’s possible longshot comes in the bottom half of the women’s draw. 

“Who I like as an upset is Team Kayla Skrlik. They are the 10 seed, but they’re playing well and they’ve had a good start to the season,” said Morris. “I think if I was going to pick a team as an upset to make the final or even win it, it’s Team Skrlik. 

“They’re also from southern Alberta, so how do you not cheer for them,” offered Morris, now a firefighter based out of Rockyview area, near Calgary. “They are a team that’s trending up and they’ve showed some flashes of brilliance the last few years. That’s a team that can really break through this year.” 

Skrlik, a former Alberta champion based out of the Garrison Curling Club in Calgary, has added Margot Flemming as her vice-skip, joining Ashton Skrlik at second, lead Gerri-lynn Ramsay and coach Shannon Kleibrink. 

Team Skrlik, at No. 10, will have to knock off No. 7 Team Danielle Inglis of the Ottawa Hunt Club in Round 1 of the competition. Other matchups in the bottom half of the draw include No. 6 Team Kate Cameron of the St. Adolphe Curling Club in Man., vs. No. 11 Team Jolene Campbell of the Highland Curling Club in Regina. 

No. 3 Team Kerri Einarson, the four-time Canadian champion of Gimli, Man., faces No. 14 Team Allyson MacNutt, the 2024 New Holland Canadian U-21champion out of the Halifax Curling Club; and No. 2 Team Chelsea Carey of the St. Vital Curling Club in Winnipeg, will tackle No. 15 Team Abby Burgess, the 2023 Everest Canadian Curling Club champion of the Gage Golf and Curling Club in Oromocto, N.B.   

Carey takes over Jennifer Jones’ former team that features vice-skip Karlee Burgess, second Emily Zacharias and lead Lauren Lenentine. Together that Team Jones rink finished runners-up to Homan in the 2024 Scotties Tournament of Hearts. 

“I was really impressed with that Jones rink last year and Chelsea is similar to Jones, in that she’s been in it for a while. That worked well for Jennifer Jones with that group and it may again for Chelsea. But till I can see what the dynamic is like, I wouldn’t be betting on them at this time of the season,” offered Morris. 

Tickets for the event start at $24 for single-draws and a full-event pass begins at $215. This year Curling Canada has added an Original 16 Skydeck general admission tickets for $24. The latter is an all-new fan experience to fit the unique interest of fans through themes, décor, activations and so much more. 

Skydeck environment provides a great view of the action, and a social setting tailored for a unique curling event experience, but space on the viewing decks is limited and is first-come first-serve. Tickets can be purchased at https://www.curling.ca/2024pointsbetinvitational/tickets/