At the Women in Curling Summits, Connection Is as Powerful as Competition
By: Jolene Latimer
At Kelowna International Airport, Linda Bolton stood by the arrival gate, carefully watching each traveler step through the doors. Her friend and fellow curler nudged her with a smile and whispered a reminder:
“You have to breathe.”
Bolton laughed, realizing she must have looked eager, almost like a fan awaiting a celebrity. And in a way, she was. World curling champion Rachel Homan had just landed in the Okanagan to attend an event that Bolton had helped organize for months — the British Columbia Women in Curling Summit, held in Kamloops this September.
“When I picked up Rachel from the airport and saw her walking toward us, that’s when I knew all the effort was going to pay off,” Bolton said. “We were actually hosting Rachel Homan at our club. What a thrill for everyone.”
During the two-hour drive back to Kamloops, the two women shared stories about their families, training routines, and how they manage to maintain balance between both worlds.
“She talked a lot about her family and how dedicated they are to supporting her,” Bolton said. “It was really inspiring.”
For Bolton, the event symbolized months of preparation and a growing movement. The Women in Curling Summit is part of Curling Canada’s national initiative to promote women’s leadership and participation in the sport at every level.
Author’s Summary
Linda Bolton’s excitement at meeting Rachel Homan captured the spirit of the Women in Curling Summit—an event uniting leadership, passion, and community across the sport.