New Zealand Junior Women’s Curling Team members Tylah James, Tahlia Peterson and Ellie McKenzie will join Trinity Cowie, of Auckland, and Olivia Russell, of Ranfurly, to compete in the World Junior-B Curling Championships in Finland.
Skipper Tahlia Peterson began curling about five years ago while a high school student in Auckland.
Moving to Dunedin in 2023, she continued with the sport.
"I have stayed ever since."
Tylah James, of Queenstown, began curling while she was a boarder at Columba College.
Ellie McKenzie began curling while a student at Trinity Catholic College.
Last year she was selected to represent New Zealand in the mixed fours team at the Winter Youth Olympic Games, held in Gangwon, South Korea.
"It was really cool, it was my first overseas comp.
"The leadup to it and the comp really inspired me to keep going."
McKenzie trains alongside fellow squad member James at the Otago Academy of Sport.
"So we get to train alongside some personal trainers and some people that look at our diet and exercise plan," James said.
Curling requires significant physical power and core stability across the upper and lower body.
"Not many people, I guess, realise how physical the sport actually is," James said.
Virtually every muscle group is working, including quads, arms, shoulders, abdominals and hip flexors.
Peterson said as well as the physical challenges, the sport kept the mind constantly calculating.
"They describe it as chess on ice, because it is a strategy-based game.
"You have got to be thinking ahead about what your opponent is going to throw."
James said the ice conditions were a constant challenge to manage.
"There are so many factors that can control the ice, like the temperature in the room.
"You get a pre-game practice and you can figure out what the ice is like, how fast or slow it is and how much it is curling."
Peterson said most of their training took place at the indoor rink in Naseby, meaning lots of travel for the team.
"New Zealand Curling has a deal with the Naseby rink where NZ athletes get free ice. So we tend to train up there."
"We try to go up every few weekends as a team."
Their coach Benjamin Frew, of Auckland, works closely with the team to hone their game.
"He plays a huge role in supporting our knowledge of strategy," Peterson said.
The World Junior-B Curling Championships will involve teams from about 30 countries.
The New Zealand side will play in a pool of six: Romania, Australia, England, Italy, Japan and Turkey.
The top three teams will advance to the World Junior-A Curling Championships in Denmark next year.
"So our goal as a team is to place in the top three and advance to the World Junior A’s."
The squad will travel with Otago Academy of Sport manager and sports psychologist Carmel Leslie.
"She’s been monumental, I think, in bringing our team together for this competition.
"She has been really amazing, it has been great to have someone that is dedicating so much time to work so closely with us," Peterson said.
No matter the result, the athletes are looking forward to being part of a world curling event.
"It is an amazing experience and a huge opportunity.
"We are very fortunate."
