(by Jonathan Brazeau)
John Epping is receiving the rock star treatment for his hometown Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling event.
The Toronto-based skip has taken his play to another level this season highlighted with a perfect game against Brad Gushue to capture the Meridian Canadian Open title in December.
While it was Epping’s third career Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling title, it was his first with third Mat Camm, second Patrick Janssen, and lead Tim March, as the young team have reached new heights together this season.
Those “new heights” also see Team Epping featured prominently in the promotion for their homecoming Players’ Championship with a giant-sized poster of their skip on display at Ryerson’s Mattamy Athletic Centre.
“That’s really nice of them to do that and give our team that kind of exposure as a hometown team,” Epping said.While it’s actually a second homecoming event this season for Team Epping — after having the crowd on their side during the National in Oshawa, Ont., in November — that doesn’t diminish how much they’re looking forward to playing in front of their fans again at the Players’ Championship.
“It’s nice to be able to have our friends, family, sponsors, co-workers, and people who have been huge supporters of our team,” Epping said. “For them to come out and cheer us on is really nice. We’re really looking forward to the chance to play in Toronto. Hopefully lots of good crowds come out. I know the local GTA clubs will come and support the event, support us, and we’re really looking forward to it.”
“It’d be great to do really well at the Players’ and give ourselves another opportunity to win a Grand Slam,” he added. “It’s really tough to win these, obviously. … To win a Players’ would be huge for us, not only winning a Grand Slam but everything else that comes with it, the points and the money.”
The Players’ Championship holds a lot of special memories for Epping, who won his second Grand Slam – and first as a skip – at the event in 2012. His team was considered the underdog and went on an incredible run upsetting legends Kevin Martin and Glenn Howard in the playoffs en route to the title.
John Epping earned his first Grand Slam title as a skip at the 2012 Players’ Championship in Summerside, P.E.I. (Photo: Anil Mungal)
It was at the Players’ Championship in Toronto a year ago when Camm joined the Team Epping lineup, and they rode another hot streak to the semifinals. Epping believes now that they have a full year together under their belt – and a Grand Slam title in the trophy case – there isn’t a chance they’ll be flying under the radar this time around.
“It’s nice that we’re a little more experienced now,” Epping said. “We go into the Slams with much greater expectations than we probably did back then. We probably didn’t have as many obtainable goals or higher goals than we do now. We do expect to go in and be in the mix and be there with the favourites. The pure favourites are probably Koe and Gushue, definitely on the year they’ve had. Just to be there would be awesome.”
Epping kicks off the Players’ Championship facing Saskatoon’s Steve Laycock in the opening draw Tuesday night.
The Players’ Championship is the fourth major and sixth event of the 2015-16 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling season and runs April 12-17 at Ryerson’s Mattamy Athletic Centre. Tickets are available, visit thegrandslamofcurling.com/tickets for details.