For Jasper Willkomm, everything was looking good for his Team NT U18 curling squad hot off an 8-2 win over Team Nunavut on Tuesday.
“(The Arctic Winter Games are) going very good, because we just won a game,” said Willkomm, 13. “That was the first game we won. We lost our first three.”
Teammate Atticus Willkomm chimed in, “I was going to say it’s going pretty good other than our last three games, but we don’t think about those.”
Jasper said the competition is fierce at the 2023 Games in Wood Buffalo, Alta., though in large part that may be due to an age gap.
“We’re in the U18 and most of the teams are 18 because you need to go to tryouts, but we just got to go because there are no other teams (in the NWT),” he explained. “What we have to do to overcome it is practise more, grow up and get older.”
On the other side, the NWT junior girls were off to a 4-0 start after besting Nunavut 14-2.
“We’ve played four games, we won them all,” said Tamara Bain. “It’s really fun.”
One challenge her team has been working to put behind them is getting used to the new ice.
“It’s kind of similar, it’s kind of not – a bit faster,” said Bain.
Alex Testart-Campbell said it’s been an adjustment to get used to the time management and scheduling with buses and whatnot, but she’s enjoying the Games.
“The trip is good so far,” she said. “The village is nice. We get to meet new people.”
Brooke Smith said it’s a really cool experience to be in Wood Buffalo for the Games.
“It’s nice to play new competition,” added Reese Wainman. “It’s a good experience for that too.”
They were set to face Alberta North again the next morning, whom they all agreed was their toughest competition.