Shannon Kleibrink

Shannon Kleibrink (born October 7, 1968 in Norquay, Saskatchewan) is a Canadian curler from Okotoks, Alberta. She and her team of third Amy Nixon, second Glenys Bakker, lead Christine Keshen and alternate Sandra Jenkins represented Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. They won a bronze medal.

Kleibrink made her debut at the 1993 Scott Tournament of Hearts, Canada's national curling championship where her team of Sandra Jenkins, Sally Shigehiro and Joanne Wright finished 6-5 representing team Alberta. Kleibrink didn't qualify for the Scotts again until 2004, but in the mean time she made it to the final of the 1997 Olympic Trials. At the trials, where the winner played for Canada at the 1998 Winter Olympics, Kleibrink lost in the final to Sandra Schmirler. In 2004 Kleibrink became the first woman to win a Canadian Mixed Curling Championship as skip. She was also the first woman to skip a team at the mixed, when she did so the previous year, where she lost in the final. The same year, at the 2004 Scott Tournament of Hearts, Kleibrink and her team of Amy Nixon, Glenys Bakker and Stephanie Marchand finished 6-5, out of the playoffs.

In 2005, Kleibrink won the Canada Cup of Curling where she beat Jan Betker in the final. Later on that year, Kleibrink qualified for the Olympics, when they beat Kelly Scott's team from Kelowna, British Columbia at the 2005 Canadian Olympic trials. Kleibrink's team began the tournament at 1-3 before winning seven straight games to qualify. In the final end of the championship game, Kleibrink scored 3 points to win the match 8-7.

Her best showing at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts to date was during the 2008 event in Regina, Saskatchewan where she represented Alberta for a third time. They finished in first place after the round robin with a 10-1 record. They then defeated Sherry Middaugh of Ontario to advance to the finals for the first time. However, she was defeated in the championship game by Jennifer Jones of Manitoba.^[1]

In 2009, Kleibrink's team lost to Heather Nedohin's rink in the Alberta Scotties Tournament of Hearts semi-final, failing to return to that years national championships. However, Kleibrink did see some success, having won the 2009 Canada Cup of Curling, defeating Marie-France Larouche in the final. In addition, Kleibrink earned a direct berth into the 2009 Canadian Olympic Curling Trials to be held in Edmonton. At the Olympic Trials, Kleibrink lost in the final to Cheryl Bernard. Kleibrink failed to make it to the Scotties once again, losing to Valerie Sweeting in the 2010 Alberta Scotties Tournament of Hearts final.

It was announced at the 2011 Canada Cup of Curling, that following the event, Bronwen Webster, who is pregnant, will sit out the rest of the season and be replaced by Carolyn McRorie, who had filled in for Kleibrink earlier in the season, and Matson, who did not participate in the Canada Cup for family obligations.

Grand Slam record

Key

• C - Champion
• F - Lost final
• SF - Lost semi final
• QF - Lost quarter final
• Q - Did not make playoffs
• DNP - Did not participate in event
• N/A - not a Grand Slam event that season

In addition to the Women's Slams, Kleibrink's rink played in the 2006 BDO Canadian Open of Curling, a men's slam event.

References

• World Curling Tour profile