A capsule look at the field for the women's world curling championship March 19-27 at the CN Centre in Prince George, B.C. (teams listed from skip to lead).
CANADA
Kerri Einarson, Val Sweeting, Shannon Birchard, Briane Meilleur.
Winner of three straight national women's titles, Einarson finally gets to play for a world title in front of Canadian fans. Her Manitoba foursome placed sixth in last year's bubble in Calgary and the 2020 world championship in Prince George was cancelled because of COVID-19. World Curling Federation ranking: 7
—
CZECH REPUBLIC
Alzbeta Baudysova, Petra Vinsona, Michaela Baudysova, Klara Svatonova (vice).
The Czechs inherited the berth that opened when Russia was booted from the championship less than three weeks out from the opening draw. Latvia and Finland, third and fourth respectively in the world qualification tournament, declined the spot. The WCF went to world rankings by country to fill it with the No. 12 Czechs. They're coached in Prince George by Canadian Heather Rogers.
World ranking: not available.
—
DENMARK
Madeleine Dupont, Mathilde Halse, Denise Dupont, My Lander.
Dupont makes her 13th world championship appearance after placing ninth in Beijing's Winter Olympics and fifth in last year's world championship in Calgary.
World ranking: 31.
—
GERMANY
Daniela Jentsch, Emira Abbes, Mia Hoehne, Analena Jentsch.
Jentsch skipped a threesome to a 6-7 record and ninth last year. Her second and alternate both quarantined after testing positive for COVID-19 upon arrival in Calgary. Her team took bronze in the 2021 European championship.
World ranking: 17.
—
ITALY
Stefania Constantini, Marta Lo Deserto, Angela Romei, Veronica Zappone.
Constantini, 22, is fresh off winning Olympic mixed doubles gold in Beijing with Amos Mosaner. She went 2-11 in Calgary in her world championship debut.
World ranking: 65.
—
JAPAN
Ikue Kitazawa, Seina Nakajima (skip), Minori Suzuki, Hasumi Ishigooka (vice).
Nakajima, 24, skipped Japan to fourth in her world championship debut in 2019. Vice-skip Ishigooka throws lead stones.
World ranking: 118.
—
NORWAY
Kristin Skaslien, Marianne Roervik (skip), Mille Haslev Nordbye, Matine Roenning (vice).
Skaslien and husband Magnus Nedregotten lost the Olympic mixed doubles final to Constantini and Mosaner. Roervik skipped Norway to 1-10 in her last worlds appearance in 2009.
World ranking: 67.
—
SCOTLAND
Rebecca Morrison, Gina Aitken, Sophie Sinclair, Sophie Jackson.
Morrison makes her world championship debut skipping a newly-formed roster. Aitken has played in five world mixed doubles championships.
World ranking: 47.
—
SOUTH KOREA
EunJung Kim, KyeongAe Kim, ChoHi Kim, SeongYeong Kim.
The foursome finished just outside the playoffs in Calgary at 7-6, were fifth in 2018 in North Bay, Ont., and took Olympic silver in 2018.
World ranking: 8.
—
SWEDEN
Anna Hasselborg, Sara McManus, Agnes Knochenhauer, Sofia Mabergs
The Swedes won Olympic gold in 2018, bronze last month in Beijing, and was twice a runner-up at the world championship. Hasselborg lost last year's bronze-medal game to Tabitha Peterson of the U.S. The Swedes are skipped by Canada's Wayne Middaugh.
World ranking: 3.
—
SWITZERLAND
Alina Paetz (vice), Silvana Tirinzoni (skip), Esther Neuenschwander, Melanie Barbezat.
Defending champion Tirinzoni chases a third straight world title after triumphs in 2019 and 2021. After topping the round robin at 8-1 in Beijing, her team lost the semifinal and the bronze-medal game. They're coached by Canada's Pierre Charette.
World ranking:6.
—
TURKEY
Dilsat Yildiz, Oznur Polat, Berfin Sengul, Ayse Gozutok.
Turkey competes in its first world curling championship. Yildiz went 3-5 in December's Olympic qualifier.
World ranking: 59.
—
UNITED STATES
Cory Christensen, Sarah Anderson, Victoria Persinger, Taylor Anderson.
Christensen makes her world debut at skip. Persinger played Olympic mixed doubles with Chris Plys last month. The Americans are coached by former world champion Cathy Overton-Clapham of Canada.
World ranking: 41.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 17, 2022.
Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press
