The fourth time proved to be the charm for 29 year old Brendan Bottcher. The Alberta skip defeated fellow Albertan Kevin Koe 4-2 in the championship game at this year’s Brier curling championship. Bottcher had previously finished runner up in each of the last three years and finally got the elusive first championship. A win that could symbolize the changing of the guard in men’s curling.
“The last three years have been hard. You get back to the big game and you don’t have the result you want,” Bottcher says. “It shows a lot of perseverance that we were able to keep working hard until we were able to get it done.”
The field was made up of competitors of all ages. Fifty three year old Wayne Middaugh skipped one of the Wildcard teams and nearly made it to championship day on Sunday. Middaugh filled in admirably for Glenn Howard, 57, after Howard suffered a prebrier injury. In addition to Howard and Middaugh Peter Mackey was the other skip over 50.
“Wayne is simply one of the greatest of all time,” Howard says. “To be out of the game for 5 years after a severe leg injury and prepare for only a month and still be one of the top skips is simply unbelievable. Just speaks volumes to his talent.”
Kevin Koe is 46 years old, he has won four Championships. His rink went directly to the championship game after finishing atop the standings. Koe and Bottcher have had several battles over the years and likely will have several more. Other curlers 40 years old or over include Newfoundland and Labrador’s Brad Gushue, New Brunswick’s James Grattan,Greg Skauge of NWT, Mike McEwen and Quebec’s Michael Fournier
The event featured several prominent skips in their 30s. John Epping of Ontario, Yukon’s Dustin Mikkelson, Northern Ontario’s Brad Jacobs, Manitoba’s Jason Gunnlaugson and Saltcoats Saskatchewan’s Steve Laycock who threw fourth stones for team British Columbia.
It was a disappointing week for Laycock of Saltcoats. “Obviously we would have liked to have a few more of those close games go our way, but we can leave the event knowing it wasn’t from lack of effort on our part,” Laycock says. “There are so many great teams in Canada and the Bottcher team have more than earned the opportunity to represent us (Canada) at worlds. They will do very well there if they play like they have the last few seasons.”
Bottcher first made the Brier in 2017 but failed to make the playoffs that year. In 2018,2019 and 2020 they would reach the championship but lose each time before finally winning this year. In the semifinals Bottcher made a beautiful shot with his final stone to edge twenty five in year old Matt Dunstone and team Saskatchewan.
Speaking of Saskatchewan, the 41 year drought became 42 but Dunstone gave it a valiant effort and at just 25 years of age he still has plenty of competitive years left. Dunstone was the second youngest skip at the event. Only Greg Smith of Newfoundland and Labrador was younger.
“Obviously disappointed with how it ended,” Dunstone says. “Overall very proud of what we accomplished in really our first event as a team. No other group of guys I’d rather go to battle with. Hats off to curling Canada and everybody who helped make this bubble happen for all of us players. It was fantastic having that sense of normality back in our lives again. Looking forward to coming back even stronger next season.”
“The young skips are very impressive to watch,” Adds Howard. “They are cool, collected and very talented. Nothing seems to phase them. We will be watching these young guns in many more Briers. The sport of curling is in very good hands for the future.”
Young curlers like Brendan Bottcher, Matt Dunstone and Greg Smith give Canadian curling a bright future. However the likes of Gushue,Epping, Koe and Brad Jacobs aren’t ready to hang up the brooms quite yet.