SHE S 2 GOOD LIVE IT LIVE. again and again. Jones, three other teams break from gate unbeaten WITH GREAT MATCHUPS EVERY DRAW YOU CAN

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1 December 1st, 2016 Brandon, Manitoba Winnipeg s Jennifer Jones came up hot Wednesday by winning her first two games at the Home Hardware Canada Cup. SHE S 2 GOOD Jones, three other teams break from gate unbeaten WITH GREAT MATCHUPS EVERY DRAW YOU CAN LIVE IT LIVE again and again Tickets available at the box office & online

2 Page 2 Home Hardware Canada Cup of Curling DECEMBER 1, 2016 Winnipeg teams skipped by Kerri Einarson (left) and Jennifer Jones got just the start they had hoped for on Wednesday. A little breathing room By Grant Granger (Morning Cup Assistant Editor) In surroundings where she s been comfortable before Jennifer Jones and her Winnipeg team jumped to a quick start at the 2016 Home Hardware Canada Cup, presented by Meridian Manufacturing, Jones took the early lead in the women s standings with a pair of wins on the opening day at Westman Communications Group Place at the Keystone Centre on Wednesday. In the first draw Wednesday morning, the Winnipeg team defeated Edmonton s Kelsey Rocque 9-4 in eight ends. Jones supported by third Kaitlyn Lawes, second Jill Officer, lead Dawn McEwen, and coach Wendy Morgan then downed Tracy Fleury of Sudbury, Ont., 6-4 in the afternoon thanks to a start of a single in the first and a steal of two in the second. It was all part of a Manitoba uprising on the women s side as Jones and Kerri Einarson of Winnipeg emerged from Day One with 2-0 records. Jones thrilled with 2-0 start Jones is no stranger to the building having played in her first of 12 Scotties Tournament of Hearts national women s titles here in It is incredibly special. It was surreal walking in. I remember walking to the arena and thinking this is the biggest rink I ve ever been in and I couldn t believe we got to play in it. It s pretty cool to be back in Brandon where it all began in front of a hometown crowd, said Jones. We re really happy. Obviously to come out with two wins is pretty big. It s a short round robin against really tough teams. I thought we played well, I thought we could play better, said Jones. Jones start was the opposite of the one she had at the 2015 Home Hardware Cup in Grande Prairie, Alta., where she suffered opening day losses to Ontario teams skipped by Sherry Middaugh and Rachel Homan. But the Jones squad bounced back with four consecutive wins to finish second to Homan in the roundrobin. However, they lost the semifinal to another Edmonton skip Val Sweeting. Jones only remembered making last year s semifinal and had erased last year s Day 1 from her memory bank. Oh, look at that, I had no idea, said Jones. Not a great start. This is much better. I like this way better. Way better. Way better. To come out and win two is nice, it gives you a little breathing room. While the winner of this week s event will be awarded a berth in the 2017 Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings curling trials in Ottawa, Jones already has a spot. Her team got it due to their Canadian Team Ranking System points after 2016 Scotties Tournament of Hearts champion Chelsea Carey of Calgary failed to secure her team s tentative berth when they did not finish in the medals at the Ford World Women s Championship in Swift Current. We just came out strong, said Einarson of the victory over Homan. We had a few hiccups along our way but we bounced back STANDINGS WOMEN Team Jones 2 0 Team Einarson 2 0 Team Homan 1 1 Team Carey 1 1 Team Fleury 1 1 Team Rocque 0 2 Team Sweeting 0 2 from them. We controlled the game and we capitalized whenever the opposition missed.

3 Tickets from $20 curling.ca/tickets Page 3 TODAY S GAMES MEN Draw 4 8:30 a.m. Jacobs vs. Koe McEwen vs. Epping Draw 5 1:30 p.m. Laycock vs. Gushue Koe vs. Carruthers Draw 6 6:30 p.m. Laycock vs. Jacobs McEwen vs. Carruthers Epping vs. Gushue WOMEN Draw 4 8:30 a.m. Jones vs. Carey Fleury vs. Homan Draw 5 1:30 p.m. Homan vs. Rocque Sweeting vs. Carey Fleury vs. Einarson Draw 6 6:30 p.m. Sweeting vs. Rocque Jones vs. Einarson

4 Page 4 Home Hardware Canada Cup of Curling DECEMBER 1, 2016 Glamour plus strength Curling calendar showscases best of world women Q uestion: Combine the stunning images of the glamorous women of curling together with a philanthropic program, and what have you got? Answer: An eye-popping calendar that is earning some serious attention from curlers and curling fans everywhere. Some of curling s most recognizable female athletes have stepped before the camera once again to help illustrate the 2017 Women of Curling calendar, which is on sale now. The calendar is a return to the women of concept that has been used in past years (along with men of ) but was abandoned last year for a more subdued version that showcased the sport and some of its traditions feature shots of outdoor curling, wheelchair curling, people behind the scenes of the sport, as well as fans. All fine and good, but curling fans should find this year s calendar much more, well, eyeappealing. The glossy, high-quality calendar is beautiful, thanks to the women in it. This is all about strong women, dedicated to training, competition and accomplishment in today s world. The cover features Scotland s Eve Muirhead, and includes photos of curlers from around the world, including Canadians Chelsea Carey, Dawn McEwen, Emma Miskew, Taylor McDonald, Joanne Courtney, Jocelyn Peterman and Rachel Brown. It s not a pin-up calendar. The curlers provided their own images for the project, and all where photographed away from the curling rink. The project is a collaborate effort involving Curling Canada, The Community Fundraiser and The Curling News and is one of curling s Katherine Henderson, Curling Canada most unique fundraising initiatives. A portion of the proceeds from sales of the 2017 Women of Curling Calendar will go to the Curling Canada Foundation, a philanthropic program that benefits young curlers and curling centres across the country. To see the calendar, and see our athletes showing off this side of their personalities, showing their athleticism, strength and beauty, I think is a positive message that our sport continues to evolve in the right direction, said Katherine Henderson, Chief Executive Officer of Curling Canada. See CALENDAR Opposite page Proud Sponsor of Canadian Curling From Our Orchard To Your House The AMBROSIA & cross section design trademarks are used under license from Wilfrid and Sally Mennell

5 Tickets from $20 curling.ca/tickets Page 5 Calendar From Page 4 I couldn t be happier that Curling Canada is once again partnering with The Community Fundraiser to put out this calendar, which will continue to help develop our game with young people in Canada. Proceeds also will go to the charities designated by each of the athletes featured in the calendar. Muirhead, whose charity is Mindspace, a mental health counselling and recovery centre in Perth, Scotland, said she didn t hesitate to join this project, not for a second. This is all about strong women, dedicated to training, competition and accomplishment in today s world. And it s also about fundraising for causes that are near and dear to each of us. The calendar also contains a full events guide showing all of Curling Canada s national championship events. Additional curling events from around the world are also included. The calendars are now available for purchase at com at a cost of $29.95 apiece, which includes taxes, shipping and handling. As well, calendars are available for purchase this week in Brandon at the 2016 Home Hardware Canada Cup, presented by Meridian Manufacturing. They are available in the Souvenirs Store (Pioneer Lounge) for $20 plus tax. We are thrilled with the enthusiasm shown by the women and the terrific response by curling fans, said Rick Warner of the Community Fundraiser. We re off to a great start... just a few weeks in and we re already considering another print run. #1 FORD DEALER IN SOUTHWESTERN MANITOBA Kelleher Ford Sales th Street N, Brandon, MB FORD (3673)

6 Page 6 Home Hardware Canada Cup of Curling DECEMBER 1, 2016 While boss away... By Grant Granger (Morning Cup Assistant Editor) While the leader is away the soldiers will play. And play well they have. The Brad Gushue team from St. John s, NL., is tied atop the men s standings with Saskatoon s Steve Laycock at 2-0 after the opening day of play at the 2016 Home Hardware Canada Cup, presented by Meridian Manufacturing, at the Westman Communications Group Place at Keystone Centre in Brandon. The Gushue team with Mark Nichols skipping, spare Charley Thomas from Calgary playing third, Brett Gallant at second, Geoff Walker at lead and coach Jules Owchar, downed 2014 Olympic gold medallist Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., 8-3 in the afternoon. They followed that with a tense 7-6 win over Winnipeg s Reid Carruthers, who fell to 1-1 with the loss. Nichols takes charge It s a good start, said Nichols. We played really well the first five ends. Any time you go 2-0 to start an event you feel good. Gushue s team and Carruthers exchanged deuces in the first five ends with Nichols making an open draw to the four-foot in the fifth for a 4-2 lead. Carruthers went for a triple takeout for two but left one behind for a steal to trail 5-2. He got two in the seventh to narrow the gap and Nichols took one in the eighth. It got tight though when Carruthers got another two in nine. Nichols made a nice soft hit and stick to secure the winning point in the tenth. You re going to see (tight games) across every sheet. When you see a blowout you re surprised, Nichols said. Gushue, the 2006 Olympic champion, is back home in the final stages of rehabbing a hip/groin injury and expects to rejoin the team next week. With Nichols filling in as the boss the team has been the most consistent curling squad on the circuit this season. I wouldn t call myself the boss, but it s different for sure. But I think everyone is playing a role. That s the biggest thing about this team, everyone is doing their job and it s making my job of throwing the last two rocks really easy, said Nichols. Laycock went to 2-0 by upsetting Home Hardware Canada Cup defending champion and current world champion Kevin Koe 9-5 Wednesday evening. Two wins, I have never seen make playoffs in the Canada Cup in a seven-team field, so we definitely need some more. So it s great to have a good start, said Laycock. STANDINGS MEN Team Gushue 2 0 Team Laycock 2 0 Team Koe 1 1 Team Carruthers 1 1 Team Jacobs 1 1 Team McEwen 0 2 Team Epping Middleton Avenue, Brandon, Manitoba R7C 1A8 (204) Motel6.com FREE Wi-Fi

7 Tickets from $20 curling.ca/tickets Page 7 Saskatoon s Steve Laycock had a heck of a day Wednesday. Brad Jacobs lets out a whoop after a great shot.

8 Page 8 Home Hardware Canada Cup of Curling DECEMBER 1, 2016 & D O O F, C I S MU R A T C E N Y E L BAR all at H E L B C U T O R A T T P U THE NUTHIN B Party Rock & Classic Rock S E L G G A R F G N I CLUBBop & Party Rock 80s P D N A B G I A U C C M JOHNNY show goes the show - but the ite qu ith w lry ve - ast for re e Fe lifa e ended last night s bring the Patch to the Senses to g in go is nd Nuthin but Troubl ba cover n s very own party l kinds! on tonight! Brando barley nectar of al ith w l el w irs pa rock 80s pop and party NIGHT S PARTY: DEC. 2 & D N A L R E D N O W d n a B r W e O v R o R O C M FOR TO JOHNNY InteMrCaBCAcUNtADiIGve T E F F U B & S N IO T A T S D FOO S D N E G E L SgEeEt made w ith S T O H S L COO SOUR MEATBALLS ROAST PORK SWEET & CORN SALADS OVEN ROAST POTATOES & MORE! watching barley nectar and of ps si n ee tw be eehing to do y status with the fr ar nd ge If you need somet le to nd ce ice, why not as $100 winnings! the champions on e Patch, for daily th at up gn Si y? s tourne the champion to-play Cool Shot gger rewards, with bi e is om pr ay nd p leaving with The finals on Su d second runner-u an p -u er nn ru e th d receiving $250, an nectar! Angus McStone k of all the barley in th 00 $150 and $1

9 Tickets from $20 curling.ca/tickets Page 9 AUTOGRAPH SESSIONS TEAM JONES THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1 11:45 a SPACE TO PLACE YOUR AUTOGRAPHS BELOW! TEAM McEWEN THEY SAID WHAT!? OUR FAVOURITE PASTIMES AS A TEAM ARE TRAVELLING TOGETHER EARLY TO EVENTS OVERSEAS TO SIGHTSEE. WE ALSO ENJOY SHOPPING AS A TEAM. TEAM JONES TEAM HOMAN THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1 4:45 p TEAM FLEURY WE ARE A TEAM OF TEA DRINKERS; WE ALWAYS TRAVEL WITH A BIG TEA SELECTION. WE USE OUR FAVOURITE MUGS IN THE HOTEL, AND WE KEEP OUR TRAVEL MUGS AND A KETTLE IN THE BROOM BAG. TEAM HOMAN UP CLOSE & PERSONAL Team Carey and Team Koe will be at the Patch to share battle stories and barley nectar! Make sure to drop by, and see the titans with your own eyes. THU DEC 1 5 P / 6 P TEAM CAREY & TEAM KOE GET SOCIAL! This lovely lady met us at The door of #CanCup2016. So excited to finally get to the rink. Go Share a photo & finish this sentence: you ve got to #LiveitLive because... Official tags: #CanCup2016 #AngusMcStone BE FEATURED HERE AND SEAL YOUR PLACE IN THE HISTORY OF CURLING!

10 Page 10 Home Hardware Canada Cup of Curling DECEMBER 1, 2016 McEwen feels at home in Brandon There s a definite Manitoba connection at the Home Hardware Canada Cup, presented by Meridian Manufacturing. Teams skipped by Winnipeg s Mike McEwen, Reid Carruthers, Jennifer Jones and Kerri Einarson are in the field, and there are players sprinkled in various lineups born in the province. But perhaps the one player who feels most at home in the city is McEwen. Born and bred in Brandon (he attended Crocus Plains High School and Brandon University), he cut his teeth in the sport here and, although he now lives in Winnipeg, has come back to play in numerous events over the years, and always has a warm, fuzzy feeling when he s back in familiar territory. I ve been in Brandon a lot longer than I have in Winnipeg, said McEwen, who spent 27 years of his life living in the city. It s a lot of good memories coming back. It was a wonderful community to grow up in. It s just one of those things where with my family, everybody s kind of gone somewhere else, whether it be somewhere else in the province, I had some family members who went west. It s strange. I m coming home, but I don t have any family here any more. But I have lots of friends and people who I grew up with. McEwen has experience playing in the Keystone Centre skipping his Fort Rouge team in the men s provincials a couple of times, and was in the building to watch the 1997 Canadian Trials. The Home Hardware Canada Cup is his first national event in the Keystone. McEwen got off to a slow start Wednesday by losing his opening two games. Mike McEwen has spent the better part of his life in Brandon. Proud to be a Media Partner of the 2016 SEE US DAILY FOR CURLING COVERAGE THAT ROCKS!

11 Tickets from $20 curling.ca/tickets Page 11 Standardized fabric, colour helps bring a happy end to curling s broom-ha-ha By GRANT GRANGER Morning Cup Assistant Editor Curlers recruited for last May s four-day World Curling Federation Sweeping Summit in Kemptville, Ont., at one point were insistent the two brooms they d just tested were different. One, they said, did what it was supposed to. The other, they said, was offside by helping thrown rocks in a way it shouldn t. They re the same, the researchers declared. The curlers didn t believe it, but the researchers had slipped in placebos to keep the athletes honest in their assessments. They were the same broom, same head. There was one tiny difference though. The fabric s colour.so they did some further testing and determined the darker the fabric the more control of the rock the sweepers had. It surprised all of us as athletes. We d never thought about it, said veteran lead Nolan Thiessen, 36, a three-time champion at the Tim Hortons Brier. Up until then, he said, teams usually chose the fabric colour to coordinate with their broom or jerseys. They had no clue colour might actually make a difference to the rock s end result. That one beared out in our testing. We started to realize that colour matters, said Thiessen, who is now a consultant for Curling Canada and a member of the WCF s athlete commission although he is not active on the circuit this season. The darker it was the more offside it was. The one we liked the most was I don t think it is but all the athletes are calling it mustard yellow so that was our recommendation, mustard yellow and let s roll with it. We actually all got a kick out of it that we were all recommending a mustard yellow broom head for everybody. That MELLOW YELLOW it did matter in our testing. The consensus at the summit which included curlers, the World Curling Federation, Curling Canada, manufacturers and experts from the National Research Council was the ideal broom head surface was Nylon Oxford 420D and the ideal pigmentation was mustard yellow. The recommendation became official in September. We thought the fabric we chose was more This season curlers will be operating on a level playing field as they play with standardized brooms. in line with the ability you could have to make shots that revolved completely around the thrower and didn t void sweeping of any ability to help, he said. You re not able to save bad throws, and I don t think you should be able to save bad throws. Everybody wants to see lots of shots made, but if we had brooms where you can make every hit imaginable and everybody played 100 per cent, it would be a very boring game because nobody would ever score. So I m happy with the way things turned out. It s back in the hands of the thrower, but the sweeper with the proper pressure and proper biomechanics to get the most out of their sweeping and still [be able to] affect the shot and still help the shot, but they can t make the shot for you. The decision put an end, at least temporarily, to the curling kerfuffle many had labelled a broom-haha. The soap opera became melodramatic early in the curling season. Teams were testy as the Frankenbrooms became more prevalent. Some said the new brush heads gave sweepers such good control of a thrown stone it was like they were using a joystick. It was an unanticipated outcome of the new materials. Curling Canada s director of high performance Gerry Peckham told the Morning Cup last year the manufacturers were just trying to build a better broom. The intent was not to make a steering wheel on ice. See BROOMS PAGE 13 Dedication, hard work and an unshakable belief in yourself Someday doesn t just happen. RBC salutes the hard work and commitment of all competitors at the 2016 Home Hardware Canada Cup of Curling. rbc.com/someday TM / Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada.

12 Page 12 Home Hardware Canada Cup of Curling DECEMBER 1, 2016 Home Hardware Canada Cup scoreboard MEN Future games Team W L Team Gushue 2 0 LAY EPP Team Laycock 2 0 GUSH JAC Team Koe 1 1 JAC CARR Team Carruthers 1 1 KOE McE Team Jacobs 1 1 KOE CARR Team McEwen 0 2 EPP CARR Team Epping 0 2 McE GUSH LINESCORES Draw 1 8:30 a.m TOTAL Time Team Carruthers x x 8 5:24 *Team Epping x x 3 7: TOTAL Time Team McEwen :45 Team Morris :41 Draw 2 1:30 p.m TOTAL Time Team Epping :20 *Team Koe : TOTAL Time Team Laycock :22 *Team McEwen : TOTAL Time *Team Gushue x x Team Jacobs x x 3 0:08 Draw 3 6:30 p.m TOTAL Time Team Koe x 5 3:05 *Team Laycock x 9 5: TOTAL Team Carruthers :30 *Team Gushue :30 * Last rock advantage; Time refers to time remaining TOP: John Epping calls the sweep. BOTTOM: Jennifer Jones has a big fan. WOMEN Future games Team W L Team Jones 2 0 CAR EIN Team Einarson 2 1 FLU JON Team Homan 1 1 FLU ROC Team Fleury 1 1 HOM EIN Team Carey 1 1 JON SWE Team Rocque 0 2 HOM SWE Team Sweeting 0 2 CAR ROC LINESCORES Draw 1 8:30 a.m TOTAL Time Team Einarson :29 *Team Sweeting : TOTAL Time Team Rocque x x 4 10:00 *Team Jones x x 8 8:35 Draw 2 1:30 p.m TOTAL Team Fleury x 4 1:25 *Team Jones x 6 3: TOTAL Team Carey :42 *Team Homan :35 Draw 3 6:30 p.m TOTAL *Team Einarson :20 Team Homan : TOTAL *Team Sweeting :05 Team Fleury : TOTAL Team Carey x x 11 7:13 *Team Rocque x x 2 8:30 * Last rock advantage; Time refers to time remaining

13 Tickets from $20 curling.ca/tickets Page 13 Brooms From Page 11 A moratorium outlining what fabrics and broom-heads were complaint and non-complaint was established to get through until a more permanent solution could be found. Legalizing the so-called Frankenbrooms was not an option in Thiessen s mind. I thought it was going down a scary slope, said Thiessen. You could see how far the game went in six, eight months over the season. How it went from making fun of (Newfoundland s Brad) Gushue at the first event for using one sweeper versus the end of the year when he could barely miss a hack-weight shot no matter how buried. We struggled and always complained for years about scoring in the sport, and I just thought the sport would go down the path of never being able to score... So instead of looking in the past it was time to try to fix it right now. Summit participants didn t know how it would turn out, said Thiessen. They weren t sure if they d have to adopt the NASCAR model where everyone would have to use the same equipment or go the Formula One route where the manufacturer s innovation dominate. It was almost scary trying to decide how the [summit] was going to go but I think in the end we got it right, so hopefully that continues to bear out, said Thiessen. He felt everyone athletes, manufacturers and governing bodies were on the same page. That would include elite curler Mike McEwen, whose team had been using the brooms that caused the fuss, although he wasn t in on the summit. Not being totally in the know of everything scientifically that they went through, from my real world experience it s probably the best many of us could have hoped for, said McEwen. The knowledge about sweeping has just grown immensely this year and the year before. So now we re in a really good place. And I don t think the improvements are done yet, this is just the beginning of something that s going to evolve just like golf has taken. This is an amazing step and we might still see changes as we progress as a sport. The change seems to have dialed down the controversy considerably as the season has progressed. It s put a lot of questions aside. You maybe had teams that were questioning what other teams were doing or using, etc. That s gone. That s been a really big bonus out of all this, is take that kind of animosity out of it, McEwen said. In addition to the fabric standardization, only one brush head per game will be allowed, curlers can t exchange brooms during a game and the sweeping motion can t drop anything in the rock s path. Corn brooms and air brushes have been banned for sweeping, although they can be used during deliveries, much to the relief of McEwen who uses a duct-taped corn broom for balance although he does see a day where he might have to discard his delivery security blanket. Yeah, I m attached to it. But I d figure it out, said McEwen with a smile. I am attached to it. The changes apply specifically to events that lead to Canadian and world championships and the Olympics, as well as events that have Canadian Team Ranking System points. Thiessen thinks the next move is to make it easier for manufacturers to produce or buy their own fabric instead of having a single supplier which was the case this year because of the short notice. He d also like to see if there are other colours that would produce the same results as mustard yellow. He felt it was important to find a solution that would carry the athletes through to the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea and not hurt the entertainment value of the sport leading up to the Games. It was way too tough to score, he said. It didn t show our sport in a good light. Everybody is trying to fight for entertainment dollars from these big events, and so when we re going to the Olympics you can t have something we re not comfortable with, and I think now we ve got something we are comfortable with. If nothing was done, Thiessen feared the controversy would circle curling back to the early 90s. Back before the free-guard zone was adopted to counteract the low-scoring effects good ice-making, rock charting and push brooms had on the sport s spectating experience. If we had another year where everyone had a full year s knowledge of the stuff, and you could change the brooms in and out, you could have a broom for every two ends, it might have gone to the point where people weren t tuning in anymore, and that s bad, said Thiessen. TWO-WAY RADIOS A solution for every situation Radios & Accessories Network & Design Solutions Satellite Phones & Event Rentals Solving Communication at Prairie Mobile Visit us at 324 Richmond Ave. E. Brandon, MB *MUST BE LEGAL DRINKING AGE.

14 Page 14 Home Hardware Canada Cup of Curling DECEMBER 1, 2016 MORE THANKS ARE IN ORDER I had the opportunity Tuesday night at the opening reception to say some thank you s. It is special being home in Brandon. Key people Nolan Thiessen is It was special to say a thank-you to Mayor Rick Curling Canada s Chrest for the support athlete liaison officer. the City of Brandon has help curling given to the local vision for a return to a time when curling is showcased more to grow regularly in Westman Communications Group Place. Rick was the Manager of the Keystone Centre RESBY through several of the championship events of the 1990s that I mentioned in yesterday s column. His experience with the excitement of those great events combines with his appreciation for economic impact to make him a big supporter of the vision. I know Brandon First also played a key role and I repeat my thanks to Brandon s Tourism agency. COUTTS See COUTTS OPPOSITE PAGE Getting cash is easy with five ATM locations in Brandon. BuiLd your SkiLLS with acc Continuing studies We offer courses and workshops in the evenings, during the day and over weekends across Manitoba. Learn more at assiniboine.net/cs or contact us directly at Leech Printing Welcomes the Curling Community to Brandon In curling as in printing teamwork is key. From our team to yours, best wishes for a great week of curling. printing and beyond 601 Braecrest Drive, Brandon OFFICIAL FOOD SPONSOR TO THE HOME HARDWARE CANADA CUP OF CURLING 1020 Princess Ave, 562 1st Street, 1711A Kirkcaldy Drive, 3300 Victoria Ave, Richmond Ave. Heritage Co-op Parking Lot Offering full service and Top Tier gasoline at the pumps 5 OFF/L on a minimum 30 L fill Expires December 5, 2016 Valid at our Gas Bars in Brandon, Minnedosa, Wawanesa and Erickson See in-store for details

15 Tickets from $20 curling.ca/tickets Page 15 Coutts From Page 14 I know from experience the key role volunteers play in these events. Vice-Chairs Nate Andrews, Eric Dickson, and Ryan Shields and all of their volunteers are operating in a different scenario than we functioned under through most of those past events. The role they play, supporting Event Manager Neil Houston and staffer Danielle Gage, is different but no less important than it was two decades ago. That was a time when local committees were on their own after an event was awarded. The potential rewards for the local committee were high but the risks were high as well. Most may not know the first change from that old model was with the 97 Canadian Curling Trials here in Brandon. Coming off the 1995 Ford Worlds, and with the Canada Summer Games on the horizon, local curling organizers entered into the first (at least the first I am aware of) real profit and risk sharing business agreement. The equal partners were the local host committee/city of Brandon, the Canadian Curling Association, and the Manitoba Curling Association. The potential rewards were not as high for the local curling community but the sharing of risk by MCA and CCA partners made sense. Since then, the business plan has evolved through a few different models but the concept of the associations sharing the risk (and the profit) began here in Brandon in Something else which has evolved is the relationship with the curlers. There was a time, not so long ago, when we all recall a boycott and a lot of bad feelings between the players and the national curling association. As I watched some great curling yesterday here in the Home Hardware Canada Cup, I reflected on how that has changed. I saw the members of Curling Canada s Athlete Advisory Council competing for the coveted prize of a trip to the 2017 Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings. I couldn t help thinking E.J. Harnden, Mike McEwen, Tracy Fleury, Val Sweeting, and Lisa Weagle have had a role in the leadership of our sport that their contemporaries even a decade ago would not have guessed possible. Their leader is former world champion Nolan Thiessen, Curling Canada s athlete liaison officer. Nolan, who was born at Pilot Mound and grew up here in Brandon, has become a respected advisor to the Board of Governors and the staff of Curling Canada. Recently curlers around the world have also elected him to represent them on the World Curling Federation s Athlete Advisory Council. Please be clear, he s not there to advocate for the curlers. He s there to bring the opinions of our championship calibre curlers to the table so they are considered in the decisions that are being made. He is also there to represent Curling Canada in discussion with the curlers and that is an equally important role. Canada s championship curlers have become allies and supporters of Curling Canada on some important topics because, perhaps for the first time, there s been open discussion with them about decisions which must be made and about the challenges our sport faces. That s why I made a special point Tuesday night, and I m making it again today, of saying thank you to the competitors. As curlers we enjoy and appreciate the excellence you demonstrate on the ice, and we thank you for the great entertainment you provide in person and on television. I also want to say thank you for the leadership you have taken in our sport in the past year. You have put the interests of the sport foremost in helping address significant issues such as brushing. We are in a new era at Curling Canada with the Board of Governors and Member Associations developing a new positive open relationship, CEO Katherine Henderson providing new positive leadership of a very capable and professional staff team, and Nolan s new role as an athlete advocate. Events such as the Home Hardware Canada Cup are not the only reasons why Curling Canada exists. We exist to unite curlers across the country. We exist to foster cooperative relationships between the member associations. We exist to develop and promote programs which can provide assurances for a strong future for our sport. But for today and this weekend we re here to watch great curling and watch these great curlers chase the dream of an entry into the Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings in Ottawa a year from now and maybe, just maybe, an opportunity to compete in the Olympics in South Korea. Resby Coutts is Vice Chair of Curling Canada s Board of Governors. A long-time Brandon resident, he has covered about 100 Canadian, World and Olympic curling events as broadcaster and journalist since his start at the Brandon Brier in 82. Eat. Meet. Canad Inns Destination Centre Brandon OUTSIDE CATERING AVAILABLE Stay. Play th Street, Brandon, MB canadinns.com CANAD (22623)

16 Page 16 Home Hardware Canada Cup of Curling DECEMBER 1, 2016 KEVIN KOE RUN THE TABLE Koe not ready to ease up on throttle with berth secure Kevin Koe could create a mathematical migraine for the men s teams at the 2016 Home Hardware Canada Cup presented by Meridian Manufacturing. Koe and his Calgary team have already won the first two events where a berth was available to the Tim Hortons 2017 Canadian Curling Trials in Ottawa next December. Koe won the 2015 Canada Cup in Grande Prairie, Alta., before claiming the 2016 Tim Hortons Brier. So already one more berth will be determined by Canadian Team Ranking System (CTRS). But there s another spot available to the winner here in Brandon as well as the winner at the 2017 Tim Hortons Brier in St. John s, Nfld. And the goal of Koe s team of third Marc Kennedy, second Brent Laing and lead Ben Hebert is to win both. Well that s our plan. They re not easy events to win, but we ve got as good a chance as anyone at winning them, said Koe. It would send it back to the CTRS list, but that d be nice for us. With Koe already having a valuable berth locked up there may be a desperation from the other teams who so dearly covet what Koe already owns this week. I can t comment on other guys and how amped up they are. Obviously it s a big thing for them, they plan their whole year around it whereas we ve already got one, said Koe. That being said we ve kind of put in some practice to gear up for this event knowing all the other teams are going to be coming in that hard. So it s a good measuring stick for us to kind of see where our game is at at the midway point of the season. Koe chuckled when asked if he wouldn t mind a system that would have meant one less team in Ottawa for every extra available berth his team secured. Yeah, that d be nice but that s not the way she works. meridianmfg.com First in Innovation Seed to Harvest Find your nearest dealer at meridianmfg.com/locator/