Get to know the men’s teams set to compete in the BOOST National running Dec. 10-15 at CBS Arena in Conception Bay South, N.L.
Team Bottcher
Edmonton, AB | Team Bottcher won three consecutive Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling titles to finish last season. They captured the first of their careers at the Meridian Canadian Open in January and followed that up with back-to-back wins at the Players’ Championship and Humpty’s Champions Cup in April.
Team De Cruz
Geneva, SUI | De Cruz, who skips while throwing second stones, won the Meridian Canadian Open in 2018. He has earned three bronze medals at the world championship and one at the Winter Olympics.
Team Dunstone
Regina, SK | Winnipeg-born Dunstone captured his first career Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling title this season at the Masters. The team won four titles on tour last season.
Team Edin
Karlstad, SWE | It was a “tre kronor” for Team Edin during the 2016-17 season capturing three Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling titles. Edin won his record-tying fourth world championship gold medal last season matching Ernie Richardson for the most all-time among skips.
Team Epping
Toronto, ON | Epping linked up with longtime friend Fry this season and so far, so good as they started the year winning back-to-back events at the Stu Sells Oakville Tankard and Shorty Jenkins Classic. Epping won his fourth Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling title, and third as a skip, at the Masters last season.
Team Gushue
St. John’s, NL | The local favourite Gushue has won 11 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling titles including two at the National. Team Gushue is the only club to have won all titles in the series.
Team Howard
Penetanguishene, ON | Glenn Howard is second on the all-time GSOC title wins list among skips with 14. The team successfully defended the Stu Sells 1824 Halifax Classic title this season.
Team Jacobs
Sault Ste. Marie, ON | The 2014 Olympic champions Team Jacobs welcomed a 2010 Winter Games gold medallist with Kennedy joining at third this season. Jacobs captured his fifth Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling men’s title this season successfully defending the KIOTI Tractor Tour Challenge.
Team Koe
Calgary, AB | Team Koe captured the Pinty’s Cup in 2018-19 for the first time in the skip’s career thanks to a consistently strong season with runner-up finishes at the Masters and Players’ Championship. Koe claimed his fourth Brier last season and earned silver at the world championships.
Team Matsumura
Sapporo, JPN | Team Matsumura captured the Pacific-Asia curling championship last season and finished runner-up to South Korea at the event this year. Matsumura made his Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling series debut at the 2019 Humpty’s Champions Cup.
Team McDonald
Kingston, ON | Team McDonald won the Ontario Tankard for the first time last season to represent the province at the Brier. McDonald also finished runner-up to Team Muyres in the 2018 Tour Challenge Tier 2 men’s division.
Team McEwen
Winnipeg, MB | McEwen skipped his former squad to seven Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling titles. The reigning Manitoba champions captured the Uiseong International Curling Cup in October.
Team Mouat
Edinburgh, SCO | Mouat earned his first Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling title at the BOOST National in 2007 and at age 23 became the youngest men’s skip to win an event in the series. Team Mouat finished runner-up to compatriots Team Paterson in the event last season.
Team Paterson
Glasgow, SCO | Team Paterson are the defending BOOST National champions winning their first career Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling title last season defeating Team Mouat in the first-ever all-Scottish final in the series. They represented Scotland at the European Championships this season.
Team Schwaller
Bern, SUI | Team Schwaller captured back-to-back titles to start this season winning the Baden Masters and Oakville Fall Classic. Schwaller’s title victory at the Stu Sells Oakville Tankard last year was his first as a skip on tour.
Note: Team lineups subject to change