Rocque named Canada’s flag bearer for Winter Universiade
Kelsey Rocque will lead Team Canada into the 2017 Winter Universiade in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
The skip of Canada’s women’s curling team was named the flag bearer for Sunday’s opening ceremony.
“It’s such an incredible feeling,” Rocque said in a media release Saturday. “It’s just completely unexpected. Curling is a four-person sport, so to be part of something this big with Canadian athletes from so many sports is pretty unbelievable.
“We hope to play really well. We know we have a lot of tough competition here in Almaty. We’re really excited to be here.”
The 22-year-old University of Alberta student has had quite the impressive collegiate curling career. Rocque made the Canadian university finals in all four years she skipped the powerhouse Pandas program with back-to-back championships in 2015 and 2016. The title victory a year ago for Rocque, third Danielle Schmiemann, second Taylor McDonald and lead Taylore Theroux earned them the right to represent Canada at the Winter Universiade.
Rocque has worn the red and white before as a two-time world junior gold medallist (2014 and 2015) and is the only Canadian women’s skip to capture consecutive world junior championships.
Rocque and McDonald also play together on the World Curling Tour, alongside third Laura Crocker and lead Jen Gates, and are ranked eighth overall on the Order of Merit.
“Kelsey will be an outstanding flag bearer for Canada,” Canadian chef de mission Ari Grossman said in the media release. “She is a multiple university national champion and has also enjoyed tremendous success wearing the Maple Leaf on the world stage. There is no doubt she will represent Canada proudly in Almaty, starting with tomorrow’s ceremony.”
It’s actually the third consecutive occasion a curler will carry Canada’s flag at the Winter Universiade opening ceremony with Breanne Meakin (2015) and Brendan Bottcher (2013) earning the honour at previous Games.