World junior champ Rocque ready for GSOC debut
Straight out of juniors, Kelsey Rocque is making the leap to the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling series.
Rocque capped a sensational junior career winning her second consecutive World Junior Championship gold medal this past March, becoming the first Canadian female skip to win the title in back-to-back years. Just two weeks later, Rocque skipped the University of Alberta to their first CIS women’s curling championship.
The 21-year-old Rocque now can’t wait to make her Pinty’s GSOC debut at the Tour Challenge, running Sept. 8-13 in Paradise, N.L.
“It’ll be my first Slam so there’s a little bit of nerves,” Rocque said on Friday during the Stu Sells Oakville Tankard in Oakville, Ont. “But I’m really excited to get out there with the girls.”
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Rocque curls out of the Saville Centre in Edmonton with third Laura Crocker, second Taylor McDonald, and lead Jen Gates. The trio played together on Team Chelsea Carey last season winning two events on the World Curling Tour and finishing runner-up to Team Val Sweeting at the 2015 Alberta Scotties Tournament of Hearts. Rocque is no stranger to the group having already played with McDonald, who was a member of Rocque’s 2014 world junior gold and 2015 CIS championship teams.
Crocker, who’s originally from Scarborough, Ont., had a prolific junior career as well winning the Canadian Junior Championship and a world junior silver medal in 2010 playing second for Rachel Homan’s team. She also skipped Wilfrid Laurier University to back-to-back CIS titles in 2011 and 2012 with Gates playing lead.
Rocque said it definitely helps joining a rink that has already established chemistry playing together.
“I’m learning a ton from the girls,” Rocque said. “They’re teaching me lots and every game we’re learning more and more about each other and so far, so good.”
Rocque makes her Pinty’s GSOC debut against Team Sweeting in an all-Edmonton rink match Tuesday night during the opening draw of the Tour Challenge.
