Mixed doubles curling added to the Olympics. Will Canada now take the game seriously?

At first blush, adding a new curling event to the Olympics would seem to be something that would have Canadians automatically adding another medal to the nation's potential haul.

Look, again, though.

The announcement that mixed doubles curling is being included in the 2018 games in South Korea, does not necessarily mean the world's great curling powerhouse will easily nab a shiny bauble at Pyeongchang.

The International Olympic Committee has green-lighted mixed doubles curling along with new events in three other disciplines - A "big air" event in snowboarding, a mass start event in speed skating and a team event in skiing.

With Canada's dominance in Olympic curling over the last three games (double gold in 2014, gold and silver in 2010 and gold and bronze in 2006) it would be only natural to assume that the same kind of success should easily extend to a new curling event.

However, the history of mixed doubles curling - a game where one man and one woman form a complete team and where fewer shots are taken to complete an end -  illustrates otherwise and a lot of hard work lies ahead if Canada is to hit the podium in mixed doubles in 2018. The good news is, hard work is precisely what is planned in the run up to the Games of Pyeongchang.

Since its inception in 2008, the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship has seen Canada earn exactly one medal. That was a bronze, earned by Sean Grassie and Allison Nimik, in 2009. One medal, in eight years. New Zealand has won a silver in that time. Spain has won bronze and silver. Hungary has won gold twice and silver once, in the last three years alone. None are what you would call curling powers and all have outperformed Canada at The Worlds.

Some of the more traditionally recognized curling countries have fared well, too. Switzerland has won five world championships. Sweden has earned five medals in eight years, including four straight silvers.

Why has Canada failed, where others have soared, in a game over which we like to think we are masters?

For one, there has been no real push, until now, to get serious about mixed doubles. Seen as quirky - albeit fun - mixed doubles curling hasn't been taken seriously in this country, by and large. Not by fans, not by recreational curlers and certainly not by the pros, who only really dabble in it if they play in the Continental Cup.

“It’s totally foreign to what we understand is the game of curling,” says Paul Webster, the national team coach and the man who served as team leader for the curling contingent at Sochi, in 2014. While mixed doubles was seen by some as a fun little diversion from "real" curling, others saw it as just plain stupid. So far, in Canada, mixed doubles curling has been kind of like dessert. Nice, but not really necessary.

Now, that changes.

“With no disrespect to the athletes who’ve played - I think we’ve had some great ones - there’s never been a primary focus for our top athletes to choose mixed doubles," says Webster. "I think now that it is a full medal sport, I think you’re going to see those athletes try to fit it into their schedules.”

Hopping onto the Olympic podium in 2018 will not be easy. The big minds behind Canada's curling successes - those with Curling Canada, Own The Podium and the National Training Centre, in Calgary - have some figuring to do. Webster will be a part of that. Gerry Peckham, as Director of High Performance for Curling Canada, will, no doubt, spearhead the initiative, along with Peter Judge, Director of Winter Sport for Own The Podium.

“We put in a proposition for a 60 week year and that got turned down,” jokes Webster, fully aware of the scheduling challenges ahead. With so many cash spiels out there already, with the Grand Slam of Curling adding events for next season and with so many high performance curlers aiming for the big prizes of Scotties, Brier, and Olympic titles in a four-person game, how on earth do you manage another major undertaking such as this, as an organizing body? Or, as a player?

“We’re going to have to be creative in terms of how we select our teams because we want to be sure the process is such that it does find our best athletes,” offers up Webster, adding that there have already been talks between officials at Curling Canada and Own The Podium. Players, of course, will be asked for their input as well. As of now, nothing has been ruled out. If already tight schedules can be harmonized, allowing top players to take part in Olympic pathways in both disciplines, they'll act on that.

“How do we find our best mixed doubles curlers?", Webster asks rhetorically. "Where are they? Who are they? Once we answer that question, how do we get them playing for Canada?"

While it would be nice to assume that the Rachel Homans and Mike McEwens of the curling world would be able to try and qualify for both events, that just doesn't seem feasible, nor does it seem most conducive to generating success. If Canada's ascent in mixed doubles is to be taken seriously, concentration will be crucial.

“I think there’s probably some point in the calendar where you’d want them to focus on it," says Webster of mixed doubles. “Whether it’s 6 months out from the Olympics where we’d want them to be doing that full time...."

Kaitlyn Lawes, Olympic gold medalist with Team Jennifer Jones in 2014, is a noted proponent of mixed doubles, having taken part in the 2014 Canadian Mixed Doubles Trials with her nephew, Connor. She's unsure as to whether an Olympic doubles berth is something she can go after, being dedicated to trying to repeat her Sochi gold with Team Jones.

"I would have to wait and see what the qualification process will be like for Canada, but my main priority is certainly with Team Jones," she wrote in an email. "Who knows? I am excited to learn more about how Canada will qualify a team!!"

Right now, there are very few mixed doubles competitions of note in this country. That needs to change and likely will although, once again, fitting them into a very busy season - allowing top flight players to take part - will be a serious challenge.

The question remains, though. Even if a schedule that is friendly is hammered out, will any of the country's curling stars decide to take on even more of a workload? Would they give up a chance to qualify with their four-person team in order to concentrate on mixed doubles? That's not too likely to happen, at least at this time. While mixed doubles is about to be taken much more seriously, it has a way to go before it can challenge the traditional game in the hearts and minds of Canadian players and fans.

Which brings up an interesting scenario.

Over the last few years, we've seen some big name players step back from the game due to the grind of what is already a very tough schedule and others who have mused about it. If contesting for an Olympic berth in mixed doubles turns out to be a less arduous road, would that be just the ticket for those who still pine for a spot on the 2018 team, while keeping the personal sacrifices at a minimum?

That's just one of many intriguing questions ahead as the scramble to manufacture Canada's mixed doubles curling Olympic team begins.

The talent is obviously there for Canada to compete with the best in mixed doubles. Taking the game seriously is the next step. The prospects of an Olympic gold medal should be just the tonic needed to ensure that. Now, a road map is needed.

The game's cartographers are feverishly working on that.