The field at the rink
The lineup of teams competing in the men’s division at the Canadian Olympic Trials
A look at the men’s field at the 2017 Roar of the Rings Canadian Olympic Curling Trials beginning today:
Team Bottcher — Saville Community Sports Centre, Edmonton
Brendan Bottcher, Darren Moulding, Brad Thiessen, Karrick Martin
Bottcher, a 25-year old chemical engineer, is a relative newcomer to men’s curling. He competed in his first Tim Hortons Brier last spring in St. John’s, going 3-8. He’s a former Canadian and world junior champion … Martin is the son of curling legend and Olympic gold medalist Kevin Martin …
Team Carruthers — West St. Paul Curling Club, Winnipeg)
Reid Carruthers, Braeden Moskowy, Derek Samagalski, Colin Hodgson
Carruthers, a teacher, has appeared in five Briers, winning in 2011 while playing second for Jeff Stoughton. That team also won the world championship that year … Carruthers curled in the 2013 Trials with Stoughton’s team … Team Carruthers is currently ranked fourth in the world …
Team Epping — Leaside Curling Club, Toronto
John Epping, Mathew Camm, Pat Janssen, Tim March,
This is Epping’s third appearance in the Roar of the Rings … He won the Players Championship in 2012 …
Team Gushue — Bally Haly Country Club and Remax Centre, St. John’s
Brad Gushue, Mark Nichols, Brett Gallant, Geoff Walker
This team enters the Trials second in the world rankings, behind Sweden’s Niklas Edin … Is the reigning Tim Hortons and world champion … Team Gushue is 32-5 so far this season …
Team Jacobs — Community First Curling Centre, Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
Brad Jacobs, Ryan Fry, E.J. Harnden, Ryan Harnden
This team won the Olympic gold medal at the 2014 Sochi Olympics … Fry, from Winnipeg, played three years with Brad Gushue, throwing second stone … Team Jacobs won the 2013 Brier and world championship, and the 2015 Players Championship …
Team Koe — The Glencoe Club, Calgary
Kevin Koe, Marc Kennedy, Brent Laing, Ben Hebert
Considered one of the favourites in Ottawa … Both Kennedy and Hebert were on Kevin Martin’s team which won the gold medal at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics … Koe has won three Brier and two world championships. He lost on the last rock to Gushue in the 2017 Brier … Koe is curling in his third Olympic Trials …
Team Laycock — Nutana Curling Club, Saskatoon
Steve Laycock, Kirk Muyres, Matt Dunstone, Dallan Muyres
The 35-year-old Laycock hasn’t won much, but has been around a while, competing in six Briers … He curled in the 2009 Trials … Another former Canadian and world junior champion …
Team Mcewen — Fort Rouge Curling Club, Winnipeg
Mike Mcewen, B.J. Neufeld, Matt Wozniak, Denni Neufeld
Mcewen is one of those curlers who could go undefeated, or not win a game … He was third in the St. John’s Brier and curled in the 2013 Trials … He won the Continental Cup in 2015, and the World University Games gold medal way back in 2003 …
Team Morris — Vernon Curling Club, Vernon, B.C.
John Morris, Jim Cotter, Catlin Schneider, Tyrel Griffith
One of the most decorated curlers in the field, Morris won the 2010 Olympic gold medal, throwing third for Kevin Martin. He’s appeared in 10 Briers, winning three, and this will be his fourth straight appearance in the Olympic Trials … Morris also won the 2008 world championship and a couple of Canadian and world junior championships … He was a finalist in the last Olympics Trials, losing to Brad Jacobs in 2013 …