Craig Savill joins Team Carruthers as 5th man
Reid Carruthers has added veteran lead Craig Savill to his lineup as an alternate and adviser.
The two-time world champion Savill joins the Winnipeg-based Team Carruthers as they attempt to secure the spot as Canada’s representative at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Carruthers, third Braeden Moskowy, second Derek Samagalski and lead Colin Hodgson captured the Canada Cup this past December to earn a berth to the Olympic Trials taking place later in the year in Savill’s hometown of Ottawa.
“We’re really excited about adding Craig to the team,” Carruthers said in a media release Friday. “He brings a positive attitude, calm presence, and a wealth of knowledge we undoubtedly will benefit from. We’re looking forward to getting started with him at the Players’ Championship.”
Savill captured back-to-back world junior titles with skip John Morris in 1998 and 1999. He joined Glenn Howard’s team in 2004 and won Brier and world championships in 2007 and 2012. Savill also captured 12 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling titles with Team Howard.
After Howard shook up his roster in 2015, Savill joined Shawn Adams’s team in Nova Scotia to make a run at competing in his hometown Brier. Savill’s season was cut short, however, as he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in the fall. He was able to participate at the Brier in Ottawa throwing a couple rocks during one game for Howard’s Team Ontario as a special fifth man.
When Savill was given the clear the following summer, he originally intended to just spare in a few local events, but an offer to join Charley Thomas’s squad in Alberta for 2016-17 was too good to pass up. Savill made his full-time return at the Tour Challenge in Cranbrook, B.C., this past November. Team Thomas fell in the semifinal at provincial playdowns and announced earlier this month on Facebook third Nathan Connolly decided to step back from competitive curling.
“I’m looking forward to sharing my past Olympic Trial and World Championship experience with a team that has already proven themselves at the highest of levels,” Savill said in the release. “I have great respect for these four guys whose work ethic is second to none. With the Trials in Ottawa this year, it will be exciting to help rally the local crowd behind the team.”
Team Carruthers is set to compete in the WestJet Players’ Championship running April 11-16 at Ryerson’s Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto.