(Curling Canada Release) The Nunavut Curling Association has informed Curling Canada that it will not be sending a team to Calgary for the 2024 Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

The 18-team event, set for Feb. 16-25 at the WinSport Event Centre in Calgary, will be filled out instead by a fourth Canadian Team Ranking System-qualified team.

Two teams — skipped by Jennifer Jones (Winnipeg) and Rachel Homan (Ottawa) — have already been declared based on CTRS standings, alongside defending champions Team Kerri Einarson of Gimli, Man.

One more was to be declared at the conclusion of provincial and territorial championships — the highest team in the standings that didn’t qualify through its provincial or territorial championship.

Now, the highest two teams in the standings that didn’t qualify will earn trips to Calgary for the Canadian women’s curling championship.

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(Editor note) If the decision was made based on standings as of January 8 – that extra spot would be awarded to Kaitlyn Lawes; who sits at CTRS #4 behind Rachel Homan (#1), Jennifer Jones (#2) and Kerri Einarson (#3) – all pre-qualified for the Scotties.

It is important to note, however, that results of the provincial/territorial championships will also be taken into account.

Objective #1 for Team Lawes must be, of course, to win the Manitoba entry and avoid the discussion. Objective #2 must be to finish well enough that teams immediately behind don’t overtake them. Those teams are Selena Sturmay-AB (#5), Corryn Brown-BC (#6), and Danielle Inglis-ON (#7).

Immediately behind are Manitoba teams skipped by Kate Cameron (#8) and Jolene Campbell (#9). Those two teams could win the Manitoba championship berth but they could also earn that newly-available wildcard entry if Lawes, Sturmay, Brown and Inglis all won their respective provincials.