Records aren’t on Brad Gushue’s mind at the Montana’s Brier, in Kelowna, B.C.
Another title for the reigning Canadian men’s curling champion would make him the first skip to win four straight Brier crowns. Gushue, vice Mark Nichols and lead Geoff Walker are also tied with Randy Ferbey for the most all-time Brier titles with six.
Reaching the top of the podium during the annual, national championship at Prospera Place would give the St. John’s skip a much-wanted automatic berth in the 2026 playdowns.
“If I had to pick a main motivator this week it would be making sure we’re team Canada in St. John’s next year,” Gushue said. “I think that’s the biggest goal for us and hopefully we can make it happen.”
Gushue, who opened with a 9-2 win over Newfoundland and Labrador’s Ty Dilello on Friday night, won the Brier for the first time in 2017 in a memorable national playdowns in his hometown.
Currently ranked fourth in Canada, he’s on the bubble for earning one of the pre-qualified spots at next year’s event. The season-ending Players’ Championship in April will be the final event before the rankings are locked in.
“There’s some pressure there for sure … we’ve got to finish the season strong,” he said. “Obviously if we win here this week that seals that. If we don’t win, we have to hope that one of the teams ahead of us win.”
If the Brier winner finishes in the top three, the fourth-ranked team would secure the last pre-qualified spot in the 18-team field.
Manitoba’s Matt Dunstone is currently the Canadian No. 1. He’s followed by Alberta’s Brad Jacobs and Saskatchewan’s Mike McEwen.
Gushue is just ahead of fifth-ranked John Epping of Northern Ontario.
“We know there’s a lot on the line,” Gushue said. “We don’t want to have to go through (provincial) playdowns because I know if that happens, there’s going to have to be a ton of adjustments made. Whether it’s one of the (out-of-province) guys fitting the residency rule (or) having to bring in a different player to meet that residency rule.
“Those are challenges we don’t want to have to face. Finishing the season strong will solve that problem.”
Gushue opened with a deuce against his fellow clubmates from the Rock and took a 5-1 lead into the fifth-end break.
“I thought our team was really firing on all cylinders and executing the shots really well,” Gushue said.
With second Brendan Bottcher in the house for Gushue’s stones and Nichols and Walker on the broom, a three-ender in the seventh end essentially iced it.
“It was definitely a welcome-to-the-Brier moment out there for sure,” said Dilello, who was making his nationals debut.
In other games, Manitoba’s Reid Carruthers posted a 6-5 win over Cameron de Jong of B.C., Northern Ontario’s John Epping topped New Brunswick’s James Grattan 7-6 in an extra end, and Manitoba’s Matt Dunstone beat Alberta’s Kevin Koe 6-2.
Round-robin play continues through Thursday night. The final is set for March 9.
