Team Jennifer Jones has a replacement for their retiring skip, and they didn’t have to look far to find her.

Winnipeg product Chelsea Carey will take over the world’s fourth-ranked women’s curling team from Manitoba for the next two seasons as they try to reach the 2026 Winter Olympics.

“We are thrilled,” lead Lauren Lenentine said in a statement on Wednesday. “And are so excited for the next couple of years to continue the momentum we had with Jennifer Jones. We learned so much from Jennifer these last two years and feel that Chelsea will give us that similar edge with her experience and shot-making that the transition will be seamless.”

Carey, a two-time Canadian champion, is no stranger to Lenentine, second Emily Zacharias and third Karlee Burgess, as she spared for Jones in several events this past season.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining this incredible group!!” Carey posted on social media site X. “See you on the ice.”

In the team’s statement, Carey called her new teammates “three of the great young stars” of the game.

“They are so fun to play with and I was so impressed with their approach to each and every game when I played with them. I think we will have a very strong team and continue what they built with Jennifer the last couple of years.”

Jones, also from Winnipeg, is retiring from the four-person game as one of the all-time greats, winning six national titles, two world championships and an Olympic gold medal.

While her team lost the recent Tournament of Hearts final to Rachel Homan, it already has locked up its berth in next year’s championship.