{{short description|Canadian curler (born 1981)}} {{Infobox curler | name = Suzanne Birt | birth_name = Suzanne Gaudet | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|10|2}} | birth_place = [[Summerside, Prince Edward Island]] | Curling club = [[Montague Curling Club|Montague CC]],<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.curling.ca/scoreboard/#!/competitions/8079/teams/36218/team_athletes/36218-fourth-46251 | title=Curling Canada | Curling Scores on Curling.ca }}</ref> <br> [[Montague, Prince Edward Island|Montague, PEI]] | Skip = '''Suzanne Birt''' | Third = [[Michelle Shea]] | Second = [[Meaghan Hughes]] | Lead = [[Sinead Dolan]] | Alternate = | Member Association = {{PE}} | Hearts appearances = 14 ({{STOH|2003}}, {{STOH|2004}}, {{STOH|2006}}, {{STOH|2007}}, {{STOH|2008}}, {{STOH|2011}}, {{STOH|2013}}, {{STOH|2015}}, {{STOH|2016}}, {{STOH|2019}}, {{STOH|2020}}, {{STOH|2021}}, {{STOH|2022}}, {{STOH|2023}}) | Top CCA ranking = 9th ([[2019–20 curling season|2019–20]]) | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Women's [[curling]] }} {{MedalCountry | {{CAN}} }} {{MedalCompetition | [[World Junior Curling Championships|World Junior Championships]] }} {{MedalGold | [[2001 World Junior Curling Championships|2001 Ogden]] | }} {{MedalBronze | [[2002 World Junior Curling Championships|2002 Kelowna]] | }} {{MedalCountry | {{PE}} }} {{MedalCompetition | [[Scotties Tournament of Hearts]] }} {{MedalBronze | [[2003 Scott Tournament of Hearts|2003 Kitchener]] | }} {{MedalCompetition | [[Canadian Junior Curling Championships]]}} {{MedalGold| [[2001 Canadian Junior Curling Championships|2001 St. Catharines]] | }} {{MedalGold| [[2002 Canadian Junior Curling Championships|2002 Summerside]] | }} {{MedalSilver| [[2000 Canadian Junior Curling Championships|2000 Moncton]] | }} {{MedalBronze| [[1998 Canadian Junior Curling Championships|1998 Calgary]] | }} {{MedalCompetition | [[Canada Games]]}} {{MedalSilver| [[Curling at the 1995 Canada Games|1995 Grande Prairie]] | }} }}
'''Suzanne Birt''' (born '''Suzanne Gaudet''' on October 2, 1981, in [[Summerside, Prince Edward Island]]) is a Canadian [[curling|curler]] from [[Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://cloudfront10.curling.ca/2015scotties-en/files/2015/02/HEART-CHART-SUN-ALL.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-02-15 |archive-date=2015-02-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150215092325/http://cloudfront10.curling.ca/2015scotties-en/files/2015/02/HEART-CHART-SUN-ALL.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> She currently [[Skip (curling)|skips]] her own team.
==Career==
===Juniors=== Birt, a skip, is a two-time [[Canadian Junior Curling Championships|Canadian Junior Champion]] ([[2001 Canadian Junior Curling Championships|2001]], [[2002 Canadian Junior Curling Championships|2002]]) and a former [[World Junior Curling Championships|World Junior Curling Champion]] (2001). She also won a silver medal at the 1995 [[Canada Games]].
Birt had attended the [[1998 Canadian Junior Curling Championships|1998]], [[1999 Canadian Junior Curling Championships|1999]], and [[2000 Canadian Junior Curling Championships|2000 Canadian Junior Championships]] before finally winning it.
At the [[2001 World Junior Curling Championships|2001 World Junior Championships]], she defeated [[Matilda Mattsson]]'s Swedish rink for the gold. The following year she would win the bronze.
===2003–2011=== In 2003, Birt qualified for the [[Scotties Tournament of Hearts]] for the first time. Her team had an impressive tournament, going 10–1 in the round-robin, only to lose both their playoff games. The next year, she fell short of expectations, and her team finished 2–9 at the [[2004 Scott Tournament of Hearts]]. In 2005, she lost in her provincial playdowns, but returned to the Scotts in 2006. At the [[2006 Scott Tournament of Hearts]], Birt's rink finished 4–7, and at the [[2007 Scotties Tournament of Hearts|2007 tournament]], they finished 6–5. They did make the playoffs, but lost to Manitoba, skipped by [[Jennifer Jones (curler)|Jennifer Jones]] in the 3 vs. 4-page playoff game. Birt played in her fifth Hearts [[2008 Scotties Tournament of Hearts|in 2008]], finishing with a 3–8 record. Upon her return to the [[2011 Scotties Tournament of Hearts]], this time in her hometown of [[Charlottetown]], Birt and her team were hoping to build on the momentum left by the defending PEI Champions, headed by [[Kathy O'Rourke]], who made it to the final of the [[2010 Scotties Tournament of Hearts]]. Unfortunately, Birt would have a tough time, finishing with a 6–5 record.{{Citation needed|date=June 2022}}
===2012–2016=== At the very first [[Curl Atlantic Championship]], Birt and her team went undefeated in round-robin play. She advanced to the semifinal, where she defeated New Brunswick's [[Andrea Crawford|Andrea Kelly]]. In the final Birt would meet with six time Scotties champion, and two time world champion [[Colleen Jones]], where she would end up winning the championship, earning at trip to Switzerland to compete in the [[Bernese Ladies Cup]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://peicurling.com/2011/09/26/suzanne-birt-rink-wins-curl-atlantic-chship-and-trip-to-switzerland/ |title = Suzanne Birt rink wins Curl Atlantic Ch'ship and trip to Switzerland|date = 2011-09-26}}</ref> Birt and her team would have a very successful time at the event, qualifying for the playoffs. She would defeat Canada's [[Jan Betker]] in the quarterfinal, before losing to Canada's Jennifer Jones in the semifinal. Birt and team would play in the bronze medal game, where they defeated Switzerland's [[Silvana Tirinzoni]], to place third overall in the competition.
With the departure of Birt's second [[Robyn MacPhee]], PEI Junior Champion [[Sarah Fullerton]], was added to the team for the [[2012–13 curling season|2012–2013 season]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://peicurling.com/2012/02/14/sarah-fullerton-joins-team-birt/ |title = Sarah Fullerton joins Team Birt|date = 2012-02-15}}</ref> The team qualified for the [[2013 Scotties Tournament of Hearts]] where they finished with a 5–6 record.
For the [[2013–14 curling season|2013–14 season]], Birt brought in a new front end of [[Michelle McQuaid]] and [[Susan McInnes]]. On the tour, they won the 2013 [[Royal LePage Women's Fall Classic]]. In the [[2014 Prince Edward Island Scotties Tournament of Hearts]], the team had a very poor showing, finishing in last place with a 1–3 record. The team had much more success at the [[2015 Prince Edward Island Scotties Tournament of Hearts|2015 PEI Scotties]], winning the event, and qualifying for the [[2015 Scotties Tournament of Hearts]]. There, Birt led her team to a 4–7 round-robin record, missing the playoffs.
Birt formed a brand-new team for the [[2015–16 curling season|2015–16 season]], which consisted of [[Robyn MacPhee]], [[Meaghan Hughes]] and [[Marie Christianson]]. On the tour that season, the team won the 2015 [[Sobeys Classic]]. The team won the [[2016 Prince Edward Island Scotties Tournament of Hearts]], and represented the province at the [[2016 Scotties Tournament of Hearts]]. There, Birt fared no better than the previous season, finishing with a 4–7 record.
===2018–present=== Birt took two seasons off from curling (which included winning $500,000 on an [[Atlantic Lottery Corporation|Atlantic Lottery]] scratch ticket in 2017),<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/local/suzanne-birt-wins-half-a-million-dollars-on-atlantic-lottery-scratch-ticket-98581/|title=Suzanne Birt wins half a million dollars on Atlantic Lottery scratch ticket | the Guardian}}</ref> to take a "mental break".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-suzanne-birt-curling-break-1.3919387|title=P.E.I.'s Suzanne Birt takes break from curling | CBC News}}</ref> She returned to the sport for the [[2018–19 curling season|2018–19 season]] with teammates Christianson, Hughes and McQuaid.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/sports/hockey/birt-returning-to-competitive-curling-201129/|title=Suzanne Birt returning to competitive curling | the Guardian}}</ref> In her first season back, she won the 2018 [[WFG Jim Sullivan Curling Classic]] on the tour, and won her tenth provincial championship at the [[2019 Prince Edward Island Scotties Tournament of Hearts]]. Birt skipped team PEI at the [[2019 Scotties Tournament of Hearts]] to a 6–5 finish, good enough for sixth place, but out of the playoffs. The following season, they won the 2019 [[Tim Hortons Spitfire Arms Cash Spiel]] on the tour, and they would defend their provincial title, winning the [[2020 Prince Edward Island Scotties Tournament of Hearts]] in early January 2020. At the [[2020 Scotties Tournament of Hearts]], Birt led PEI to a 5–6 record, finishing in eighth place.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.curling.ca/scoreboard/#!/competitions/6241/standings/7430|title=2020 Scotties Tournament of Hearts|website=Curling Canada|access-date=March 1, 2020}}</ref>
Team Birt began the [[2020–21 curling season|2020–21 season]] with two runner-up finishes at the 2020 [[The Curling Store Cashspiel]] and the 2020 [[Dave Jones Stanhope Simpson Insurance Mayflower Cashspiel]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://peicurling.com/2020/09/27/team-birt-loses-close-the-curling-store-cashspiel-final-in-extra-end/|title=Team Birt loses close The Curling Store Cashspiel final in extra end|website=PEI Curling|date=September 25, 2020|access-date=November 1, 2020}}</ref> Due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Prince Edward Island]], many teams had to opt out of the [[2021 Prince Edward Island Scotties Tournament of Hearts]] as they could not commit to the quarantine process in order to compete in the [[2021 Scotties Tournament of Hearts]]. This meant that only Birt's rink and her clubmate [[Darlene London]]'s rink entered the event.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://peicurling.com/scoreboard/#!/competitions/6748/teams|title=Teams|website=PEI Curling|date=12 November 2015|access-date=February 27, 2021}}</ref> In the best-of-five series, Team Birt defeated Team London three games to zero to earn the right to represent Prince Edward Island at the 2021 Scotties in [[Calgary]], [[Alberta]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://peicurling.com/2021/01/30/team-birt-sweeps-pei-scotties/|title=Team Birt sweeps PEI Scotties|website=PEI Curling|date=January 30, 2021|access-date=February 27, 2021}}</ref> At the Tournament of Hearts, Birt led her team to a 4–4 round-robin record, failing to qualify for the championship round.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/scotties-tournament-hearts-scores-standings-schedule-results-2021-bubble/|title=Scotties Tournament of Hearts: Scores, standings, schedule|website=Sportsnet|access-date=February 27, 2021}}</ref>
The Birt rink had two appearances in the finals to begin the [[2021–22 curling season|2021–22 season]]. The team lost in the final of the [[2021 Oakville Fall Classic]] to Team [[Jamie Sinclair]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.curlingzone.com/event.php?eventid=6865&eventtypeid=82&view=Main#1|title=2021 Oakville Fall Classic|website=CurlingZone|access-date=February 20, 2022}}</ref> and the final of the [[2021 Oakville Labour Day Classic]] to Team [[Tracy Fleury]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.curlingzone.com/post.php?postid=3425#|title=Fleury wins Oakville Labour Day Classic|website=CurlingZone|access-date=February 20, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/teamtracyfleury/videos/1045266632894397/|title=2021 Oakville Labour Day Classic – Women's Final – Live Stream|publisher=Team Tracy Fleury|website=Facebook|access-date=February 20, 2022}}</ref> Due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Canada]], the qualification process for the [[2021 Canadian Olympic Curling Trials]] had to be modified to qualify enough teams for the championship. In these modifications, [[Curling Canada]] created the [[2021 Canadian Curling Trials Direct-Entry Event]], an event where five teams would compete to try to earn one of three spots into the [[2021 Canadian Olympic Curling Trials]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.curling.ca/blog/2021/02/04/2021-trials-process-revised/|title=2021 Trials proceess revised|work=Curling Canada|date=February 4, 2021|access-date=February 20, 2022}}</ref> Team Birt qualified for the Trials Direct-Entry Event due to their [[CTRS standings|CTRS]] ranking from the 2019–20 season. The team went 1–3 through the round-robin, finishing in last place and not advancing directly to the Trials.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.curling.ca/blog/2021/09/26/more-trials-spots-awarded/|title=More trials spots awarded!|publisher=Curling Canada|date=September 26, 2021|access-date=February 20, 2022}}</ref> Team Birt had one final chance to advance to the Olympic Trials through the [[2021 Canadian Olympic Curling Pre-Trials]] where they finished the round-robin with a 4–2 record. This qualified them for the double knockout round, where they lost both of their games and were eliminated.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.curling.ca/blog/2021/10/30/qualified/|title=Qualified!|publisher=Curling Canada|date=October 30, 2021|access-date=February 20, 2022}}</ref> The team had two more tour stops during the season, which included winning the [[Stu Sells 1824 Halifax Classic]] and reaching the semifinal of the [[Tim Hortons Spitfire Arms Cash Spiel]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.saltwire.com/prince-edward-island/sports/stuart-thompson-suzanne-birt-win-stu-sells-curling-titles-100657844/|title=Stuart Thompson, Suzanne Birt win Stu Sells curling titles|publisher=Saltwire|author=George Myrer|date=November 14, 2021|access-date=February 20, 2022}}</ref> The 2022 [[Prince Edward Island Scotties Tournament of Hearts]] was cancelled due to the pandemic and Team Birt were selected to represent their province at the national women's championship.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://peicurling.com/2022/01/07/team-birt-to-represent-curl-pei-at-the-2022-scotties-tournament-of-hearts/|title=Team Birt to represent PEI at the 2022 Scotties Tournament of Hearts|publisher=PEI Curling|date=January 7, 2022|access-date=February 20, 2022}}</ref> The team finished the [[2022 Scotties Tournament of Hearts]] with a 4–4 record, fifth place in their pool.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/curling/article/2022-scotties-tournament-hearts-standings-schedule-results/|title=2022 Scotties Tournament of Hearts: Standings, schedule and results|website=Sportsnet|date=January 28, 2022|access-date=February 20, 2022}}</ref>
In advance of the [[2022–23 curling season|2022–23 season]], Team Birt won a fan vote which qualified them for the [[2022 PointsBet Invitational]].<ref>{{Cite tweet|user=CurlingCanada|number=1561745027830874112|date=August 22, 2022|title=TIME TO VOTE!! Which team would you like to see compete in the 2022 @PointsBetCanada Invitational? The team that gets the most votes books a ticket to Fredericton, N.B. 🎟 🥌}}</ref> They lost their opening round game to the [[Rachel Homan]] rink. On tour, the team won two events. In October, they won the [[Superstore Monctonian Challenge]] with spares [[Colleen Jones]] and [[Sinead Dolan]] filling in for [[Marie Christianson]] and [[Michelle Shea]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0oWzHbBB3v1TUdWy5DjVqa9gnVCTG6THUmQ8H9Q6dq5AtvQzQz3gjkohP3nwQPKq7l&id=100057508688429|title=We are the Superstore Lady Monctonian Champs this weekend! 🏆🥌|publisher=Team Birt|website=Facebook|date=October 30, 2022|access-date=December 30, 2023}}</ref> They then won the Jim Sullivan Curling Classic in November, going undefeated in the event.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.curlingzone.com/post.php?postid=6694#|title=Birt wins Jim Sullivan Curling Classic|publisher=CurlingZone|access-date=December 30, 2023}}</ref> They also had a semifinal appearance at the [[New Scotland Brewing Co. Cashspiel|New Scotland Clothing Women's Cashspiel]]. During the season, Christianson took over skipping duties on the team with Birt continuing to throw fourth stones. In the new year, they easily won the [[2023 Prince Edward Island Scotties Tournament of Hearts]], winning all three qualifying events.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://peicurling.com/2023/01/29/suzanne-birt-wins-the-2023-pei-scotties/|title=Suzanne Birt wins the 2023 PEI Scotties|publisher=PEI Curling|date=January 29, 2023|access-date=December 30, 2023}}</ref> At the [[2023 Scotties Tournament of Hearts]] in [[Kamloops]], the team struggled, finishing seventh in their pool with a 2–6 record.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.curling.ca/2023scotties/2023/02/24/tiebreakers-needed/|title=Tiebreakers needed!|publisher=Curling Canada|date=February 23, 2023|access-date=December 30, 2023}}</ref> After the season, the team announced they would be disbanding, with Birt stating she was taking some time away from curling.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0UmFmRNNfWfnQWRRjS4kZ8RUYYN1F7EVtx4d2T1vtq5ccjvLYR2GMYUbJ9pH2kmHxl&id=100057508688429|title=Even good things must come to an end eventually!|publisher=Team Birt|website=Facebook|date=March 6, 2023|access-date=December 30, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/sports/pei-scotties-field-wide-open-with-birts-retirement-100932288/|title=P.E.I.'s Scotties' field wide open with Birt's retirement|publisher=Saltwire|date=January 25, 2024|access-date=January 25, 2024}}</ref>
==Personal life== Suzanne married Trevor Birt in June 2008, becoming Suzanne Birt. They have two children.<ref>2019 Scotties Tournament of Hearts Mead Guide: Team Prince Edward Island</ref> She works as a civil servant for the Government of Prince Edward Island.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.curling.ca/files/2023/02/2023-Scotties-Tournament-of-Hearts-media-guide-1.pdf|title=2023 Scotties Tournament of Hearts Media Guide|website=Curling Canada|access-date=February 16, 2023}}</ref>
==Grand Slam record== {{Curling GS key}} {{clear}} {| class="wikitable" border="1" |- ! Event ! [[2012–13 curling season|2012–13]] ! [[2013–14 curling season|2013–14]] ! [[2014–15 curling season|2014–15]] ! [[2015–16 curling season|2015–16]] ! [[2016–17 curling season|2016–17]] ! [[2017–18 curling season|2017–18]] ! [[2018–19 curling season|2018–19]] ! [[2019–20 curling season|2019–20]] |- | [[Masters (curling)|Masters]] |style="background:#afeeee;"| [[2012 The Masters Grand Slam of Curling – Women's event|T2]] |style="background:#EFEFEF;"| DNP |style="background:#EFEFEF;"| DNP |style="background:#EFEFEF;"| DNP |style="background:#EFEFEF;"| DNP |style="background:#EFEFEF;"| DNP |style="background:#EFEFEF;"| DNP |style="background:#EFEFEF;"| DNP |- | [[Tour Challenge]] |style="background:#EFEFEF;"| N/A |style="background:#EFEFEF;"| N/A |style="background:#EFEFEF;"| N/A |style="background:#afeeee;"| [[2015 GSOC Tour Challenge|T2]] |style="background:#EFEFEF;"| DNP |style="background:#EFEFEF;"| DNP |style="background:#EFEFEF;"| DNP |style="background:#afeeee;"| [[2019 Tour Challenge|T2]] |}
===Former events=== {| class="wikitable" border="1" |- ! Event ! [[2007-08 curling season|2007–08]] ! [[2008-09 curling season|2008–09]] ! [[2009-10 curling season|2009–10]] ! [[2010-11 curling season|2010–11]] |- | [[Sobeys Slam]] |style="background:#ffebcd;"| [[2007 Sobeys Slam|QF]] |style="background:#afeeee;"| [[2008 Sobeys Slam|Q]] |style="background:#EFEFEF;"| N/A |style="background:#afeeee;"| [[2010 Sobeys Slam|Q]] |- | [[Manitoba Lotteries Women's Curling Classic|Manitoba Lotteries]] |style="background:#afeeee;"| [[Canad Inns Women's Classic#2007 Casinos of Winnipeg Classic|Q]] |style="background:#EFEFEF;"| DNP |style="background:#EFEFEF;"| DNP |style="background:#EFEFEF;"| DNP |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Sports links}}
{{Footer World Junior Curling Champions (women)}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Birt, Suzanne}} [[Category:1981 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Canadian people of Acadian descent]] [[Category:Sportspeople from Summerside, Prince Edward Island]] [[Category:Curlers from Charlottetown]] [[Category:Canadian women curlers]] [[Category:Lottery winners]] [[Category:Canada Cup (curling) participants]] [[Category:21st-century Canadian sportswomen]]