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Kara Thevenot was part of the Sivernagle rink which captured bronze at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Nova Scotia. (Clement Roy) : Glenn Hicks
Saskatchewan's curling medalists

P.A.’s Thevenot says performance has rejuvenated game in Saskatchewan

Feb 26, 2019 | 3:13 PM

Boosted by big support from near and afar, Prince Albert curler Kara Thevenot and the rest of her bronze-medal winning team are delighted with their performance at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. At the same time she figures they’ve helped put this province’s women’s game back on the map.

Thevenot has returned home from Nova Scotia after she, skip Robyn Silvernagle, Saskatoon’s Stefanie Lawton, and Jessie Hunkin captured Saskatchewan’s first medal at the event since 2011 on Sunday.

“The entire province was cheering for us and we could feel that vibe from home,” Thevenot told paNOW. “We had pictures sent to us from people [watching] in hockey rinks, and messages from people we didn’t even know who were also watching, and it just meant the world to us to have the whole province behind us. We felt it rejuvenated women’s curling in Saskatchewan a little bit.”

We were always smiling and just embraced the game we love – Kara Thevenot

The support was not only coming from home turf. Thevenot said they were also boosted by the Sydney, Nova Scotia crowd who related to them.

“The community rallied behind us. We had these random fans who were shouting for us; they just took to us and it was amazing,” she said. “I think it had a lot to do with how we portrayed ourselves on the ice. We were always smiling and just embraced the game we love.”

While Thevenot described their first appearance in the national championship as “tons of fun” she added they’re taking the result into perspective and know they came close. The team finished third overall after falling to Ontario’s Rachel Homan 9-7 in the semifinals, having beaten them in earlier pool play.

“We knew we’re a good team and could contend, and I feel like we went out there and we proved that,” she said. ”We believed in ourselves and we know how much time and effort we’ve put into this season.”

Kara Thevenot far right with Robyn Silvernagle, Stefanie Lawton, and Jessie Hunkin.(Andrew Klaver /Curling Canada)

She said the team was proud of their performance, was moving up the ranks and making a name for themselves. However, she added there were things they learned by being at the biggest tournament in the country and in the end their inability to make the final came to a few shots here and there.

Thevenot and Team Silvernagle will have two more Grand Slam appearances this season, in Toronto and Saskatoon in April.

With files from Ron Quaroni

glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow

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