(by Jonathan Brazeau)
Brad Gushue will compete for the Tim Hortons Brier in his hometown of St. John’s, N.L.
Photo: Gushue and Gallant
Gushue captured his 14th career men’s provincial championship defeating Adam Boland 6-2 in Saturday’s final.
(Instagram)
The team of (L-R) Gushue, third Mark Nichols, second Brett Gallant and lead Geoff Walker finished provincial playdowns at the Bally Haly Golf and Curling Club, their home rink, with an undefeated 5-0 record.
It was only Gushue’s third tournament of the season after missing the opening three months due to a hip/groin issue. The 36-year-old hasn’t missed a beat since his return making it to the semifinals at the Boost National last month and capturing his seventh career Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling title just three weeks ago at the Meridian Canadian Open.
Gushue, the 2006 Olympic gold medallist, has yet to win the Brier — finishing runner-up twice including last year’s event in Ottawa. Calgary’s Kevin Koe topped Gushue in the final and returns to the men’s national championship with the Team Canada auto-berth.
Eddie MacKenzie of P.E.I., Jean-Michel Menard of Quebec, Jamie Koe of the Northwest Territories, Jim Nix of Nunavut and Yukon’s Craig Kochan have earned their Brier spots with the remaining provinces determining their representatives in the following weeks.
The Tim Hortons Brier runs March 4-12 at the Mile One Centre in St. John’s, N.L.
Meanwhile, Stacie Curtis will make her fourth appearance for Newfoundland and Labrador at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts (Feb. 18-26 in St. Catharines, Ont.)
Curtis went on a 4-1 run through the women’s provincial championship capped with an 8-4 win over Shelley Hardy in the final.