Whitehorse siblings to lead teams to Canadian curling championships

After a weekend of close competition in the Yukon Curling Association's territorial playdown, a pair of Whitehorse siblings has emerged victorious.

Team Scoffin succeeded in the men's event, led by long-time Yukon curling champion Thomas Scoffin.

And another Team Scoffin also succeeded in the women's, helmed by skip Bayly Scoffin — Thomas's sister.

The women's team also includes third Kerry Foster, second Raelyn Helston, lead Kimberly Tuor and alternate Helen Strong.

The men's team includes third Trygg Jensen, second Joe Wallingham, lead Evan Latos and alternate Wade Scoffin.

The two winning teams will be headed to the Brier and Scotties Tournament of Hearts to represent the Yukon later this year.

For the Scoffins, the event this past weekend in Whitehorse was very much a family affair: not only are the two winning skips siblings, but their father Wade also acts as an alternate on one team and a coach for the other.

When asked whether they had discussed a Scoffin sweep beforehand, Thomas said they didn't want to get their hopes up.

"We're not that superstitious, but we didn't want to jinx it by talking about it too much before the championship weekend," he said. "So I'm really happy with how it turned out."

Many Yukoners are familiar with Thomas, whose upcoming trip to compete in the Brier will be his fifth. But after this past weekend's playdown, many will be learning to remember the name Bayly Scoffin, as well.

"It was really fun to watch Bayly compete and play and I was so impressed with how she played and how her team played," said Thomas. "It was super cool to watch as a big brother. I can't wait to cheer them on at the Scotties and I know they're going to be great reps for the Yukon."

It won't be Bayly's first national event — in 2021, she and Wade teamed up to compete in the 2021 Home Hardware Canadian Mixed Doubles Championships. She is also on the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology's curling roster.

But this will be her first time in the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

Bayly Scoffin, left, at the Whitehorse Curling Club with her team: third Kerry Foster, second Raelyn Helston, and lead Kimberly Tuor. (Caitrin Pilkington/CBC)

"I'm so excited," she said, minutes after the conclusion of Sunday's final game. "We had a rough first game but we just went up and up after that, and I'm so excited to be competing in the Scotties."

Laura Eby, executive director of the Yukon Curling Association, said the playdown this past weekend, which involved tight games and nail-biting moments, was some of the best curling she'd seen in Whitehorse in years. It was clear she wasn't the only one who thought so, either — the event drew big crowds at the Whitehorse club.

"This is the first time we've seen three teams for the Scotties playdown in a long time," Eby said. "And the games are so close, it's just amazing. When it's a blowout, it's not very fun, because you feel for both teams.

"But these guys have been neck and neck all the way … and they deserve to be out there, they're really good players."

The 2024 Scotties Tournament of Hearts will be held in Calgary from Feb. 16 to 25 and the 2024 Brier will be held from March 1 to 10 in Regina.