Is it time for youth to take over as Canada's major curling forces?
For ages, it seems it's been Kevin Martin, Jeff Stoughton and Glenn Howard as the only names to consider for major titles. Oh, Kevin Koe's Edmonton rink jumped in once and won a world championship, but the default prognostications generally revert to the Big Three.
On the women's side, veteran Jennifer Jones, Cheryl Bernard and Kelly Scott have dominated.
But times may be changing.
When the best eight men's and eight women's rinks gather in Winnipeg Dec. 1-8 to play off for the right to represent Canada at the Olympics in Sochi, Russia in February, the big names will all be there, but they will have stiff competition from south youthful foursomes.
Mike McEwen of Winnipeg has had a couple of outstanding years on the World Curling Tour and his team seems poised for a breakthrough. Brad Jacobs's youthful squad from Sault Ste. Marie won the Brier in 2012, so it knows how to win the big events. Rachel Homan of Ontario is the best of the younger set on the women's side and after winning the Scott Tournament of Hearts last year, will probably be ranked 1 and 1A with Jones for the Olympic berth.
Pierre Charette, a two-time Brier finalist (runner-up both times) with Guy Hemmings, likes Jacobs's chances.
"He's beat everybody in the field," said Charette, who runs the four Grand Slam events for Sportsnet. "He won't be intimidated by anyone, that's for sure."
Canada's curling record at the Olympics is stellar. Kevin Martin is defending Olympic champ, but his third on the 2010 gold medal team in Vancouver, John Morris, is now curling with Vernon's Jim Cotter, who will also be at the Trials in Winnipeg. Brad Gushue, who failed to qualify for Winnipeg, skipped Canada to gold in 2006 at Turin, Italy. Canadian men also have two silver medals since curling was added to the Winter Games in 1998. On the women's side, Canada's Sandra Schmirler won gold in 1998 but our country has only a silver and two bronzes to show for succeeding events.
For competitive curlers, Dec. 1-8 is the biggest week of the last four years. The Brier is great to win, the world championship is better, but opportunity to win an Olympic gold medal has become king.
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