32 Teams in 32 Days

We’re profiling 32 teams — one per day — as we get ready for the start of the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling season at the Masters.

Day 20: Team Kovaleva

Lineup: Alina Kovaleva (skip), Iuliia Portunova (third), Galina Arsenkina (second), Ekaterina Kuzmina (lead)

Hometown: Saint Petersburg, Russia

Kovaleva captured the world women’s curling championship silver medal last season in the Calgary bubble. Representing the Russian Curling Federation, the squad went 11-2 through round-robin play, defeated Sweden’s Team Hasselborg 8-7 in the semifinals and lost to Switzerland’s Team Tirinzoni 4-2 in the gold medal game.

The team’s best result in the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling so far is a semifinal finish at the 2020 Meridian Canadian Open in Yorkton, Saskatchewan. They went 3-1 through the triple knockout to qualify for the playoffs. Kovaleva took on Team Jones in the quarterfinals and scored three points in the eighth end to win 9-7. They fell 7-1 to Team Kim in the semifinals.

Prior to skipping her own squad, Kovaleva played with skip Anna Sidorova earning bronze (2016) and silver (2017) medals at the world championship plus gold (2015) at the European Championships.

Arsenkina won the European Championships gold medal in 2016 and world championship bronze in 2018 with skip Victoria Moiseeva.

The Masters kicks off the 2021-22 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling season and runs Oct. 19-24 at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex in Oakville, Ontario. Full event and weekend passes plus single draw tickets are now available, CLICK HERE to purchase yours today.

Can’t make it to Oakville? Tune to Sportsnet and Sportsnet NOW for live broadcast coverage. Broadcast schedule to be announced.

Missed a day in our 32 teams in 32 days profile series? Get all caught up below.

Day 1: Team Hasselborg

Day 2: Team Jacobs

Day 3: Team Einarson

Day 4: Team Epping

Day 5: Team Fleury

Day 6: Team Mouat

Day 7: Team Tirinzoni

Day 8: Team Gushue

Day 9: Team Jones

Day 10: Team McEwen