Jacobs announces that Kennedy, Wozniak will act as fill-ins
Replacements needed after Fry took leave due to alcohol-fuelled incident at Red Deer Classic
Team Brad Jacobs will turn to a couple of curling veterans to fill the vacancy created by Ryan Fry’s decision to take an indefinite leave after his disqualification from the
Red Deer Curling Classic.
Two-time Olympian Marc Kennedy will play as a substitute at the Dec. 5-9 Canada Cup in Estevan, Sask., while Matt Wozniak will fill in at the
Dec. 11-16 National in Conception Bay South, N.L., the team said Monday in a statement.
“It’s mixed emotions,” Kennedy said Monday from Toronto before boarding a flight to Edmonton. “I’m excited to get back out there, to test out my hip and to have a chance to play with a pretty incredible team. I’m looking forward to that. I know they’ve been through a tough couple weeks here.
“Hopefully, I can come in and add a positive spark and help get them through this difficult time that Team Jacobs is going through.”
Fry announced last week that he would be taking a break from the Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.-based team to focus on his “growth and self-improvement.” His decision came a few days after he was ejected from a World Curling Tour event for what organizers called unsportsmanlike behaviour resulting from excessive drinking.
Fry, who was playing as a substitute in Red Deer, was kicked out of the competition with teammates Jamie Koe, Chris Schille and DJ Kidby. All four players later issued statements to apologize for their actions.
Organizers said Fry broke three brooms and that the team used foul language and was disruptive to other players on the ice. The WCT fined Fry $1,000 and said that his behaviour was the reason for the team’s disqualification.
Fry, 40, won Olympic gold at the 2014 Sochi Games with the Jacobs team. They also won the Tim Hortons Brier in ’13.
Kennedy, 36, won Olympic gold at the ’10 Vancouver Games with skip Kevin Martin. He returned to the Pyeongchang Games this year with skip Kevin Koe but did not reach the podium.
Wozniak, 35, was a longtime second on a Winnipeg team skipped by Mike McEwen. That rink disbanded after last season with McEwen forming a new team with skip Reid Carruthers. Wozniak will play his familiar position with Team Jacobs with E.J. Harnden moving to third, the team said in a post on Twitter.
Kennedy announced last March that he would be taking a break from competitive curling to recharge and rest a nagging hip injury. He took on a consulting position with Curling Canada and has been practising through the autumn.