Canadian skip Jacobs set to make world championship debut

VICTORIA — Brad Jacobs enters play at the world men’s curling championships a favourite, despite his limited experience against international competition.

The 27- year- old from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., begins play Saturday in his first worlds and as the youngest Canadian skip at this event since Kevin Martin competed in 1991 at the age of 24.

Jacobs will face Rui Liu of China in his first game. Although he has faced Rui and some others competing here previously, he has not seen many before.

“The field is really new to us in a sense,” Jacobs said. “But I always say this, and we always have, and we always will say this: Your biggest opponent is yourself.

“You’re trying to curl 100 per cent every game or real close to it. If you can do that on a consistent basis, you’re going to win a lot of games.

“And we are expecting every team to come out firing against us. We’re not taking anyone lightly. We’ve done that in the past. We’re out here playing every game like we’re playing ( former Brier and world champions) Glenn Howard or Kevin Martin or Jeff Stoughton.”

Jacobs’ favourite status is based more on Canadian curling tradition than his personal achievements. The world championships have been held on four previous occasions in B. C. — most recently in 2005 at the same Save- On- Foods Memorial Centre where he will compete — and Canada has won every time. And with four different skips. Ron Northcott ( 1966), Russ Howard ( 1987), Wayne Middaugh ( 1998) and Randy Ferbey ( 2005) came west and conquered.

“That’s cool — interesting stat,” Jacobs said.

“We threw on the ( Canadian) clothes ( Friday). It was amazing to throw these clothes on and be Team Canada. We’re going to try and win another ( world title for Canada).

“We’re going to do our absolute best to try to win another one. Really, though, we’ll see what happens. Long week. Lots of games.”

Canada has also won the last three world titles. As if the history is not enough, sports betting website Bodog. ca gives Jacobs as the best odds ( seven to four) of winning.

“Normally, we’re never favoured — ever,” Jacobs said after practice on Friday. “This is probably our first time that we’ve ever been pegged as the favourite, I’ll tell ya that. But you know what? We really don’t think about any of that stuff.

“We really don’t care about any of that stuff.”

The talented field includes two- time world champion David Murdoch of Scotland; Sweden’s Niklas Edin, considered one of the world’s top young stars; and Norway’s Thomas Ulsrud. All have world championship and Olympic experience.

Jiri Snitil of the Czech Republic, Denmark’s Rasmus Stjerne, Finland’s Aku Kauste, Japan’s Yusuke Morozumi, Russia’s Andrey Drozdov, Switzerland’s Sven Michel and Brady Clark of the U. S. round out the field.

“A few new countries — Russia, for example — and it’s good to see Finland back in it ( after being relegated to the B pool in recent years and regaining entry to the A pool),” Canadian team leader Rick Lang said.

“There’s no one here to take lightly — that’s for sure.”