Wood muirhead

Kelly Wood (foreground) and Eve Muirhead discuss a shot in the 10th end of the Gold Medal Game at the 2010 Ford World Women's Curling Championships in Swift Current
 
Alberta's Heather Nedohin and Team Canada will look to win the Ford World Women's Curling Championship for the first time since 2008, as this year's event begins in Lethbridge today.

Most of the attention here in the southwest will also be on Team Scotland, as Kelly Wood, who now makes her home in Swift Current, will be the alternate for Eve Muirhead's rink. Wood was third for Muirhead when the team won silver at the 2010 Worlds that were held in Swift Current.

"They called me one morning, which was strange actually because I was still in bed given that they're six hours ahead, and they've been trying to get a hold of me for a few hours," Wood said in an interview on Friday. "Eventually when I woke up, I called them back and they said they'd like me to come with them."

With some curling fans from Swift Current planning to make the four-hour drive to Lethbridge for the event, Wood added that she was looking forward to seeing some local fans there: "Swift Current did such an amazing job of the World Championships when they were there, and I guess the atmosphere and the buzz probably haven't left Swift Current entirely since that happened, so it's great that Lethbridge isn't too far away that people can come and support and the fact that they know somebody now that is a part of Team Scotland, and it's nice that we have that local support now, too."

As the southern-Alberta city gets ready to host the world this week, Wood believes that Swift Current's event two years ago will be a tough act for Lethbridge to follow: "Once the Worlds in Swift Current finished, I said that was, by far, the best World Championships I've ever played in, and it wasn't because we medalled, it was because of the volunteer support, the ice was great... just the whole package was excellent."

The Scots take on Russia in the opening draw this afternoon, while Canada opens against the USA tonight.

Colin Powers talked with Kelly Wood as she got ready for the event on Friday: