Epic battles on deck at Olympic trials
TEAM GUSHUE
Club: Bally Haly & RE/MAX Centre, St. John’s, N.L.
Team: Skip Brad Gushue, 37, third Mark Nichols, 37, second Brett Gallant, 27, lead Geoff Walker, 32, alternate Tom Sallows, coach Jules Owchar
The skinny: The Gushue foursome won its first Brier earlier this year and went on to capture the world curling championship in Edmonton. They are the clear favourites.
TEAM JACOBS
Club: Community First Centre, Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
Team: Skip Brad Jacobs, 32, third Ryan Fry, 39, second E.J. Harnden, 34, lead Ryan Harnden, 31, alternate Peter Steski, coach Caleb Flaxey
The skinny: Jacobs returns with the same team that won the trials in 2013 in Winnipeg and the gold medal at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.
TEAM KOE
Club: The Glencoe Club, Calgary Team: Skip Kevin Koe, 42, third Marc Kennedy, 35, second Brent Laing, 38, lead Ben Hebert, 34, alternate Scott Pfeifer, coach John Dunn
The skinny: No team has more experience than this one. Kennedy and Hebert both won gold medals at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics with Kevin Martin and Koe and Laing are among the most decorated curlers in the country.
TEAM MCEWEN
Club: Fort Rouge Curling Club, Winnipeg
Team: Skip Mike McEwen, 37, third B.J. Neufeld, 31, second Matt Wozniak, 34, lead Denni Neufeld, 36, coach Chris Neufeld
The Skinny: One of the top teams on the cash tour over the last decade, the foursome finally made it to the Brier in 2016 and 2017 and continues to knock on the door as one of the best in the world.
TEAM MORRIS
Club: Vernon Curling Club, Vernon B.C.
Team: Skip John Morris, 38, third Jim Cotter, 43, second Catlin Schneider, 26, lead Tyrell Griffith, 31, alternate Rick Sawatsky, coach Jody Epp The skinny: Morris won the trials in 2009 and the Olympic gold medal with Martin in 2010 and finished second to Jacobs at the 2013 trials in Winnipeg. Has played more Olympic trials games than anyone else in the field.
TEAM CARRUTHERS
Club: West St. Paul Curling Club, West St. Paul, Man.
Team: Skip Reid Carruthers, 32, third Braeden Moskowy, 27, second Derek Samagalski, 33, lead Colin Hodgson, 27, alternate Craig Savill, coach Dan Carey
The skinny: Carruthers won a Brier and a world championship as second for Jeff Stoughton in 2011 and played in the trials in 2013, but did not make the playoffs.
TEAM EPPING
Club: Leaside Curling Club, Toronto Team: Skip John Epping, 34, third Mathew Camm, 27, second Pat Jansen, 30, lead Tim March, 30, alternate Charley Thomas, coach Jim Wilson
The skinny: There’s a history at the trials of dark horse teams finding their way to the Olympics and this could be just the kind of team to do that this year.
TEAM LAYCOCK
Club: Nutana Curling Club, Sask. Team: Skip Steve Laycock, 35, third Kirk Muyres, 27, second (viceskip) Matt Dunstone, 22, lead Dallan Muyres, 30, alternate Pat Simmons, coach Lyle Muyres The skinny: They haven’t had an exceptional season, but will be one of those under-the-radar teams that could sneak up on people.
TEAM BOTTCHER
Club: Saville Community Sports Centre, Edmonton
Team: Skip Brendan Bottcher, 25, third Darren Moulding, 35, second Brad Thiessen, 27, lead Karrick Martin, 28, alternate and coach Jason Gunnlaugson
The skinny: Grabbed the last available spot in the trial through the recent pre-trials tournament in P.E.I. You know who did the same thing in 2013? Brad Jacobs.