Gushue makes it six Canadian curling crowns

Brad Gushue defended his Canadian men’s curling championship with a 9-5 win over Saskatchewan’s Mike McEwen on Sunday night.

Gushue is the only skip to win six Brier titles. Gushue, third Mark Nichols and lead Geoff Walker tied Randy Ferbey for the record of six wins, and replicated Ferbey’s threepeat from 2001 to 2003 by claiming a third in a row.

The St. John’s, N.L. rink will represent Canada at the world championship in Switzerland later this month.

McEwen, meanwhile, fell a win short of Saskatchewan’s first Brier crown since Rick Folk in 1980.

In the morning semifinal, McEwen advanced with a 7-3 win over Alberta’s Brendan Bottcher. A Saskatchewan team reached the final for the first time since Brad Heidt lost to Kerry Burtnyk in 1995 in Halifax.

And the host province was a win away from the championship, but knew before the final that the task would be daunting.

“I can’t imagine a more electric situation,” McEwen said. “Brad is so loved by curling fans, right? To have that matchup in the final, that’s what everybody dreams of, both the athlete and the fan experience.”

Bottcher’s Calgary lineup was also built to win. Third Marc Kennedy, Gushue’s former second Brett Gallant and lead Ben Hebert own a combined 10 Canadian and five world championships. Kennedy was also an Olympic gold medallist in 2010, playing second for Kevin Martin.

Bottcher won the 2021 Brier in his hometown with a different lineup. His current team gained entry last April when Curling Canada changed the qualification criteria to allow the top two teams in Canada, minus the defending champion, early entry.