Harris at STOH: maybe yes, maybe no
A fresh statement from Team Kerri Einarson leaves questions as to whether or not longtime lead Briane Harris will be a part of the team at next month’s national women’s team championship.
Harris and the team were informed Tuesday of Harris’ successful appeal of a 2024 doping suspension, which technically frees her from any and all restrictions placed upon her since last February.
Team Einarson released a Tuesday afternoon statement from Guelph, Ont., where the team is competing in the fourth Grand Slam of Curling event of the season, the Masters.
“After what had to have been unimaginable stress on Briane and her family, we’re so happy and relieved to see Briane’s case resolved today,” the statement reads. “It has been a difficult 11 months for all of us not knowing what was going to happen, so we’re thankful that we can all move forward with some clarity.
“This week, we are treating the WFG Masters Grand Slam in Guelph as a dress rehearsal for the Scotties Tournament of Hearts with the lineup we announced earlier this month. Once this event is done, and after we assess where we’re at, we will sit down as a team for further discussions.
“We will have no further comment on today’s announcement until then.”
The current lineup excludes Harris and her regular front-end partner Shannon Birchard, who is out for the season with a knee injury.
At present, Team Einarson includes skip Kerri Einarson, third Val Sweeting, new second Karlee Burgess, former alternate Krysten Karwacki at lead stone and coach Reid Carruthers.
The alternate position has not been announced.
The squad, winners of four consecutive STOH titles between 2020-23, has a berth confirmed at the 2025 Scotties, which runs Feb. 14-23 at the Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay, Ont.
Other players who have rotated in and out of Einarson’s lineup this season include former Jennifer Jones all-star Dawn McEwen, former Rachel Homan all-star Joanne Courtney, and recent mixed doubles Olympic Trials playoff contender Brittany Tran.
Harris, now vindicated from doping accusations, is pregnant with her second child.
Harris was a member of Team Einarson when they defeated Ontario’s Rachel Homan 8-7 to win their second consecutive title in 2021.
Homan was famously eight months pregnant at that time, and returned to the ice just a few short weeks after giving birth to win a Grand Slam title.
Harris’ appeal centred on a banned substance, Ligandrol, taken by her husband without Harris’ knowledge and passed to her via “intimate contact.”