The Brad Gushue rink, which includes PEI natives Adam Casey at third and Brett Gallant at second, along with lead Geoff Walker, defeated the Colin Thomas team by an 8-2 score this afternoon to win the Newfoundland and Labrador Tankard provincial men’s curling championship and a trip to the Brier, March 2-10 in Edmonton.  Gushue has represented his province at the Brier every year since 2003, except in 2006 when he was unable to participate due to being at the Olympics in Italy. Casey joined the team last season. This will be the first provincial men’s title for Gallant, who came on board this year, although he came close last year, skipping  the runner-up team in PEI.

Photo (L-R): Brett Gallant, Brad Gushue, Adam Casey, Geoff Walker

Other familiar names heading to the Brier this year include  Jeff Stoughton (MB),  Glenn Howard (ON), winning his eighth-straight provincial men’s title and his 15th in total, James Grattan (NB), Jean-Michel Menard (QC), Jamie Koe (NT), and Brad Jacobs (N. Ont.). Nova Scotia will be represented by the rink of Paul Flemming, Ian Fitzner-Leblanc,Graham Breckon, and Kelly Mittlestadt, who beat the Jamie Murphy foursome 8-7 in this afternoon’s final.

By the end of today, all provinces except PEI will have chosen their Brier participants. Due to the weekend storm, the PEI winner won’t be chosen until Tuesday.