Team Bakker, that includes Cochrane curler Julianna MacKenzie, won the Michael Izsak Memorial Junior Women's Bonspiel in Lethbridge, Sept. 27-29.

The team went 5-0 in the bonspiel, including wins against three Russian U21 teams.

Playing against the Russians added a twist to the bonspiel. But as they climb the ranks it will likely become commonplace for the team.

"It was different playing them but at the end of the day, we're going against other team's rocks. It doesn't matter who is throwing them."
"It's just so awesome to see all the different competitors from different countries. They want to do the same thing we want to do, and they come all the way here because Canada is so strong in the sport."

MacKenzie, 17, joined the U21 Bakker Rink in the spring, and the team is now three bonspiels into their season. She's both curled with and against members of the team in the past. 

She has one final year in U18 curling and plays with a team that will largely focus on the U18 playdowns.

As part of the Bakos rink last season, she curled for Alberta in the 2019 Canada Winter Games and was the Alberta Host team for the U18 championship.

Team Bakker will be competing against some of Canada's best at the Curling Corner's Autumn Gold Classic women's bonspiel at the Calgary Curling Club, Oct. 11-14. Their first game is against the Canadian champion Chelsea Carey rink. The classic has an international field that includes many well-known teams. 

"It's going to be a really good experience. The biggest thing is we'll learn a lot from playing them and take away everything."

The Jessica Wytrychowski rink finished second in their pool, only losing one draw to the Beliakova rink of Russia. They advanced to the B final against the Molnar Rink. Jessica Wytrychowski curls in several leagues in Cochrane and her rink represented Alberta in the U18 national championships last spring.

The Wytrychowski rink is also competing in the Autumn Gold Classic.