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Lynn Kreviazuk joins Team Balsdon at third

Megan Balsdon has found her vice skip for next season.

Thegrandslamofcurling.com has learned Lynn Kreviazuk, who threw second stones for Jacqueline Harrison during the 2018-19 season, is moving up to play third for Team Balsdon.

Kreviazuk is ready for the fresh test with the Ontario club, which also includes second Rachelle Strybosch and lead Tess Bobbie.

“I’m really excited to be joining these three and taking on a new challenge as vice,” Kreviazuk told thegrandslamofcurling.com Monday. “I’ve competed against Tess and Rachelle since bantams, and Megan since entering women’s. They are great players with tons of experience from nationals to the Olympic Trials. I can’t wait to get started!”

The 27-year-old from Ottawa won the 2014 Ontario Scotties Tournament of Hearts and 2016 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling Masters championship with skip Alli Flaxey. After Team Flaxey’s run ended last year, the trio of Kreviazuk, third Clancy Grandy and lead Morgan Lavell stayed together and added Harrison. They finished provincial playdowns with a 3-4 round-robin record and missed the playoffs.

Team Harrison announced earlier Monday the foursome are heading in different directions.

Kreviazuk played with skip Rachel Homan in bantams and juniors winning gold medals at the 2007 Canada Winter Games and 2010 Canadian junior curling championships plus silver at the 2010 world juniors. She also captured gold at the 2014 Canadian university championships for the Carleton Ravens and silver at the 2015 Winter Universiade.

Her older sister Alison Kreviazuk played with Team Homan too winning back-to-back Scotties Tournament of Hearts titles in 2013 and 2014. Youngest sibling Cheryl Kreviazuk has served as Team Homan’s alternate and picked up a silver medal with the squad at the Canadian women’s curling championship last month.

It’s a promotion as well for Balsdon, who threw third stones for the squad last season with Julie Tippin at skip. Team Tippin was runner-up at the Ontario Scotties Tournament of Hearts falling to Homan in the final.

The team posted to social media last week Tippin has stepped back from competitive curling to focus on her family and career.

UPDATE (April 2): Lavell and Grandy have reunited with Flaxey for the 2019-20 season adding 2018 world junior champion Kaitlyn Jones, who will skip the squad. Flaxey is going to play third, Grandy is moving over the second while Lavell stays at lead.