24 teams in 24 days — Day 18: Team Fujisawa
We’re profiling all 24 teams, one per day, to get ready for the return of the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling leading up to the start of the Humpty’s Champions Cup.
Day 18: Team Fujisawa
Lineup: Satsuki Fujisawa (skip), Chinami Yoshida (third), Yumi Suzuki (second), Yurika Yoshida (lead)
Hometown: Kitami, Japan
Fujisawa is the reigning Olympic bronze medallist capturing Japan’s first medal in curling at the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Team Fujisawa was also the first Japanese club to reach the podium at the world championship taking silver in 2016.
Team Fujisawa qualified for the playoffs in all four Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling events last season with three consecutive semifinal finishes in the KIOTI Tractor Tour Challenge (setting a new personal best), BOOST National and Meridian Canadian Open. Their run through the BOOST National in Conception Bay South, N.L., was remarkable as Yurika Yoshida was ill and did not compete, however, the team persevered as a trio to reach the final four.
They won the Japan Curling Championships last year and were set to compete in the worlds when the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Team Fujisawa fell to Team Yoshimura in the national women’s final this year.
The Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling returns with the Humpty’s Champions Cup, April 14-18, followed by the Princess Auto Players’ Championship, April 20-25. Both events will be played at Calgary’s WinSport Arena and closed to the general public. Watch live coverage on Sportsnet, click here for the broadcast schedule.