The Winnipeg-based team skipped by Kaitlyn Lawes has claimed the final spot in the 18-team field for the upcoming Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

Lawes, Selena Njegovan, Jocelyn Peterman and Kristin Gordon received the last pre-qualification spot as the highest-ranked team that hadn’t qualified via provincial/territorial playdowns, Curling Canada said Monday.

The berth became available when the pre-qualified team skipped by Kerri Einarson replaced Rachel Homan’s rink as the Canadian entry. Homan won’t defend her title as she will be preparing to represent Canada at the Milan Cortina Olympics next month.

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Lawes, who fell to Kelsey Calvert in the recent Manitoba final, holds the No. 4 position in the latest Canadian rankings (151.450 points). She edged No. 5 Serena Gray-Withers of Alberta (151.225) by less than a quarter-point for the spot.

Peterman won’t be in the lineup for the Jan. 23-Feb. 1 competition at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre in Mississauga, Ont. She will instead be getting ready to wear Canada colours with mixed doubles partner Brett Gallant at the Winter Games.

Laura Walker will replace Peterman at second, and Erin Pincott will serve as team alternate. Calgary’s Kayla Skrlik and Christina Black of Halifax earned the other pre-qualification spots in the field.

Other qualified teams include Alberta’s Selena Sturmay, British Columbia’s Taylor Reese-Hansen, New Brunswick’s Melodie Forsythe, Mackenzie Mitchell of Newfoundland and Labrador, Northern Ontario’s Krista Scharf, Nicky Kaufman of the Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia’s Taylour Stevens, Nunavut’s Julia Weagle, Ontario’s Hailey Armstrong, Prince Edward Island’s Amanda Power, Quebec’s Jolianne Fortin, Saskatchewan’s Jolene Campbell and Yukon’s Bayly Scoffin.

The winning team will represent Canada at the March 14-22 World Women’s Curling Championship in Calgary.

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