Homan, Brown, Skrlik, Martin win to start Scotties Tournament of Hearts [Video]

Two teams overcame travel hiccups and another the loss of a sick player to win on opening night of the Canadian women’s curling championship Friday.

Corryn Brown’s B.C. team that didn’t land in Thunder Bay, Ont., until early morning defeated Alberta’s Selena Sturmay 11-4.

Saskatchewan’s Nancy Martin, whose lead Deanna Doig was another late-morning arrival, beat Krista McCarville of Northern Ontario 10-6.

Alberta’s Kayla Skrlik iced a three-player rotation because lead Geri-Lynn Ramsay was ill, and doubled New Brunswick’s Melissa Adams 8-4.

Defending champion Rachel Homan had the most stress-free opener with a 13-4 victory over Prince Edward Island’s Jane DiCarlo.

Both Brown and Martin were scheduled to practice early Friday morning, but ended up throwing rocks mid-afternoon a few hours before their first games of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

Snowstorms across southern Ontario delayed flights coming through Toronto.

“It was just kind of sleep quick, and we were just really focusing on one rock at a time, …