John Morris set to sub at third on Team Koe for Tour Challenge
Eleven-time Grand Slam champion John Morris is scheduled to spare at third on Kevin Koe’s team for next week’s KIOTI Tractor Tour Challenge in Pictou County, N.S.
Morris, from Canmore, Alta., will fill in for B.J. Neufeld, who is missing the first couple of events in the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling this season while on paternity leave.
Kirk Muyres subbed for Neufeld during the Masters this past week in North Bay, Ont., but will be back skipping his own squad as he looks to defend the KIOTI Tractor Tour Challenge Tier 2 men’s title.
Koe and Morris previously played together from 2003-06, capturing the 2004 Players’ Championship and finishing third at the 2005 Canadian Olympic curling trials, although their roles were reversed on that team. Morris and lead Ben Hebert also competed together with skip Kevin Martin winning nine Grand Slams, two Briers, one world championship and an Olympic gold medal on home ice at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games.
Morris won a second Olympic gold in the inaugural mixed doubles competition with Kaitlyn Lawes at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games, and he has focused on his mixed doubles career since.
The 40-year-old from Canmore, Alta., subbed for skip John Shuster at the 2019 Humpty’s Champions Cup.
The KIOTI Tractor Tour Challenge begins next Tuesday night at the Pictou County Wellness Centre.
