Wozniak to sub for Fry on Team Jacobs at National
Matt Wozniak will fill in on Team Brad Jacobs during next month’s Boost National.
Wozniak got the call with third Ryan Fry taking a leave of absence from the Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., club following an incident during the Red Deer Curling Classic that led to the team he was playing with getting ejected from the tournament. The World Curling Tour fined Fry $1,000 after deeming his actions on and off the ice inappropriate.
E.J. Harnden is moving up to third for the Boost National, running Dec. 11-16 in Conception Bay South, N.L., to accommodate Wozniak at second.
The 35-year-old from Winnipeg won seven Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling titles during his 13-year tenure with skip Mike McEwen. Wozniak did not latch on with a new team after the club broke up after the conclusion of the Olympic cycle last season. He briefly reunited with McEwen, now throwing fourth stones for Reid Carruthers, during the Canadian Beef Masters last month with Wozniak sparing for second Derek Samagalski.
Team Jacobs also announced Marc Kennedy will play third during the Canada Cup, which takes place a week prior to the Boost National, in Estevan, Sask. The 36-year-old from St. Albert, Alta., is one of the most decorated players in the game with 12 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling titles, three Briers, two world championships and an Olympic gold medal.
Kennedy, who represented Canada again at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics with Team Kevin Koe, stepped back from competitive curling after last season.