The Brock University women’s curling team will be representing Canada at the fourth annual Yichun International Women’s Bonspiel being held Jan. 15 to 19 in China.

The Brock team will be made up of skip Erin Macaulay (Whitby, Ont.), vice Terri Weeks (McDougall, Ont.), second Danielle Robinson (Dundas, Ont.), lead Joanna Francolini (London, Ont.) and head coach Murray Etherington.

From left: skip Erin Macaulay, vice Terri Weeks, second Danielle Robinson, lead Joanna Francolini

“This is a huge honour to represent Canada and will be a great experience for the student-athletes and myself,” said Brock Curling head coach Murray Etherington.

“We would like to thank the Canadian Curling Association for choosing Brock to represent Canada at such a prestigious international event. We have had some great success over the past few years and this is a boost for the Brock curling program and Brock Athletics.”

The team leaves Monday from Toronto and arrives in Beijing the next day. The trip is a 14-hour flight with a 12-hour time difference. They will stay in Beijing overnight and fly to Haerbin and then a bus to Yichun, which is an hour from the Russian border.

There are five international teams and three Chinese teams in the competition.

“To travel to China and compete in a sport that you love, is an opportunity of a lifetime,” said Brock assistant director of athletics Chris Critelli. “We are so pleased that coach Murray Etherington and our women’s curling team were invited to participate in such a prestigious event.”

“In the true Olympic spirit, sport is education.”

Earlier this season the Badgers placed first at the Trent Bonspiel posting a 5-1 record. They will be competing at the Ontario University Athletics curling championships being held in Guelph from Feb. 19 to 23.