Eyeing top-five finish

Tyler Smith-skipped rink ready for Canadian junior championship

Tyler Smith has been to four national championships, but not with the foursome he will be competing with at this week’s junior competition.

The 18-year-old skip from the Hunter River area and lead Brooks Roche of Montague have been to nationals together in the past. Third Christopher Gallant and second Noah O’Connor joined them this season.

“It was kind of a perfect fit,” Smith said. “We all fit in really well and we started playing really well right out of the gate.”

The Charlottetown Curling Complex squad swept the competition at the Pepsi Provincial Junior Curling Championship in December to earn a berth at nationals.

They left Thursday for Victoria, B.C., where the championship begins Saturday and continues through to Jan. 29. They get a practice session in tonight.

Smith competed at the Canada Games in 2011 in Halifax and made the playoffs in 2015 in Prince George, B.C. He finished 12th at the junior championship in 2013 in Fort McMurray, Alta., and ninth in Corner Brook, N.L., in 2015. With three years of junior eligibility left after this season, Smith said he’s looking to take the next jump up the standings.

This year’s goal is to make the championship round and finish in the top five.

“That’s kind of what we set out to do at the start of the year, so hopefully we can achieve that,” Smith said.

Gallant and O’Connor, who are from Charlottetown, also have experience at nationals.

“The first time we went it was kind of a learning experience,” Smith said. “We weren’t sure really what to expect, so now that we’ve all been there once or twice, we know exactly what’s going to happen . . . so we can start playing the games right away and not be distracted by anything else going on.”