Shocking loss doesn't deter Jennifer Jones from Olympic goal

Jennifer Jones insists she hasn't lost sleep this week after failing to qualify for the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, and is as determined as ever to achieve her ultimate goal in 2017.

The Winnipeg skip sent shockwaves through the curling world with Sunday's 8-6 semifinal defeat to Darcy Robertson at the Manitoba provincial playdowns, costing Jones her 13th appearance at the Scotties event, which will be held next month in St. Catharines, Ont.

"It was one day we didn't perform well," the 42-year-old Jones told CBC Sports on Monday. "We're happy with our season so that gave us some perspective. I think we have a good team and we're in a good place.

"It doesn't matter how we're performing now, it's about performing well in December."

The Olympic curling trials are scheduled for Dec. 2-10 in Ottawa, with the men's and women's winners representing Canada at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea next February.

Jones, lead Dawn McEwen, second Jill Officer and third Kaitlyn Lawes won Olympic gold in 2014 in Sochi, Russia.

I think losing makes you stronger and if it's going to make us better, then it's a loss we're willing to take.— Manitoba skip Jennifer Jones on failing to advance to Scotties Tournament of Hearts

But they were off their game on the weekend after cruising to a 7-0 record in the round robin at provincials. In the first end of the semifinal at Eric Coy Arena in Winnipeg, Jones sailed a draw attempt to the back of the 12-foot and handed Robertson a steal of two.

With the game tied 6-6 in the ninth, Jones' first shot, a guard, didn't cross the hog line — a line 30 feet from the hack (foothold) at each end of the ice — and paved the way for Robertson's steal of two and the victory.

"Draw weight and speed is usually one of my strengths," said Jones, a seven-time provincial champion with five Canadian women's curling titles to her name. "We just weren't as consistent as we'd like to be. The one thing I'll say about our team is we never give up. We battled back and made a game of it.

"I think losing makes you stronger and if it's going to make us a better team, then it's a loss that … we're willing to take."

Despite 10 appearances at the previous 11 Scotties — Jones didn't try to qualify in 2014 because of her Olympic appearance — she stressed over the phone, "it was never easy" playing her way out of Manitoba.

"It's always been fun playing in the provincials because it's tough," said Jones, considered the greatest curler in Manitoba's history. "We've just managed to find a way to win. We're proud of how the talent in Manitoba keeps growing because it bodes well for the future."

Down time in February

Sunday's defeat also cost Jones a chance to compete at the women's world curling championship March 18-26 in Beijing, China, another of her priorities for 2017. Canadian women last won a world title in 2008 when Jones prevailed in Vernon, B.C.

Jones, who followed up November's DEKALB SuperSpiel title by defeating Rachel Homan in the final of the Canada Cup the following month, said she will play this weekend's Skins Game in Banff, Alta., before taking time off to reflect, rest, train and practise.

A quiet playing schedule in February will afford Jones quality time with family after she moved to Horseshoe Valley in Barrie, Ont., two months ago with husband Brent Laing and daughters Isabella, 4, and Skyla, five months. A residency policy adopted by Curling Canada in June 2015 allows one member of a team to live out-of-province.

Jones will travel to St. John's in early March to watch Laing, a two-time world champion, play for Team Canada at the Brier before she prepares for the Players' Championship in mid-April, the fourth and final major of the Grand Slam of Curling season, in Toronto.

Jones has skipped her team to a record five Players' Championship titles, most recently in 2014, but Scotland's Eve Muirhead has won three of the last four years.

"I have so much admiration and respect for our competitors," Jones said. "When you play against the best it just makes you want to be better. The reason I've kept playing is because I think we can get better and that's what drives us."