Elite 10 teams in 10 days - Gunnlaugson - The Grand Slam of Curling

Elite 10 teams in 10 days – Gunnlaugson

Over the course of 10 days, we’re profiling all 10 teams set to compete in the 2018 Princess Auto Elite 10. Day 4: Team Jason Gunnlaugson.

SKIP	THIRD	SECOND	LEAD
Jason Gunnlaugson	Alex Forrest	Ian McMillan	Connor Njegovan

The second of three Winnipeg teams profiled in our series, the hometown Princess Auto Elite 10 is a special tournament for Connor Njegovan. Team Gunnlaugson’s lead actually went to daycare at the Deer Lodge Curling Club, which is helping host the tournament at the adjacent St. James Civic Centre.

“They used to run a daycare in their basement, so I used to go there and was on the ice with the ice maker,” Njegovan said. “He taught me how to make ice at age five or six.”

Team Gunnlaugson has had a breakthrough campaign capturing the Tour Challenge Tier 2 title in September to earn a promotion into the elite ranks. The crew has proven they belong qualifying for the playoffs at three consecutive Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling major tournaments.

No one is more surprised about their ascent than the team itself.

“We keep going into the Slams joking around that there are no weak teams so it must be us and every time someone plays us they must be laughing,” Njegovan said. “We keep looking at the draws and it gets harder and harder every event.

“It’s surreal, it really is. Even to be invited to play in a Grand Slam is a really big honour and then to be able to qualify is just amazing. It’s really exciting to know this hard work is paying off and we are able to compete with the top teams. When you get that little bit of confidence, the sky’s the limit now for us.”

Princess Auto Elite 10: Tickets | Teams | Draw Schedule | TV Schedule | Watch Online

Alex Forrest, Ian McMillan and Connor Njegovan played with skip Matt Dunstone last season and hit the road competing in events all over from Quebec, Ontario and Alberta to Minnesota and Arizona. Dunstone moved on after the year joining Team Laycock and the trio added journeyman Jason Gunnlaugson to call the shots.

In addition to their Tour Challenge Tier 2 victory, Team Gunnlaugson has also claimed the Mother Club Fall Curling Classic and MCT Championships titles this season.

The 2018 Princess Auto Elite 10 runs March 15-18 at Winnipeg’s St. James Civic Centre.