Latest news with #TeamJacobs
Edmonton Journal
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
World Curling sweeps Broomgate 2.0 away with new ruling ahead of Olympic year
Article content Broomgate 2.0 has finally been swept aside. After months of controversy, World Curling has made a decision to entirely ban firmer broom foams that many players said gave sweepers too much control of the rocks that were being thrown. Article content Just in time for the Olympic year ahead. 'Following the challenges throughout the 2024-2025 season of the reported over-effectiveness of several brush-head constructions, World Curling are updating the sweeping equipment compliance regulations for the Olympic season — effective immediately,' World Curling said in a statement Friday. Article content Most players in the curling world are on board with the rule because it's creating a level playing field amongst the curling teams, but allowing the emphasis of the game to be focused on the person with the rock. Rather than the technology of the broom heads hogging the spotlight of each curling shot, the ruling ensures the talent of the shot-makers is shining through. 'It's a common solution that creates the game that everyone wants,' Team Jacobs and five-time Olympic coach Paul Webster said. 'I think what the fans need to understand is the athletes want this. They don't want a foam or a fabric like we used to have that ends up with kind of what we refer to as 'remote-control rocks.' 'They want it to come down to who are the best curlers on the planet. So if it's 90% shooting and 10% sweeping, then great. I just think last year or so, there's been too much involvement of the sweepers.' Article content HOW DID WORLD CURLING REACH THIS RULE? Some say the decision should've come sooner, given the issues the new technology presented during the most recent season. But World Curling waited until season's end — a fair timeline so as not to interfere with the integrity of the 2024-25 schedule — to put into play a covert session with invited athletes, manufacturers and ice experts of the curling world. It was a lab — of sorts — to measure the impact of the broom heads in question, with World Curling describing the extensive consultation as being staged in a 'highly co-operative atmosphere.' 'The time allowed in-depth discussions to take place on how the effectiveness of sweeping could be maintained at a level the athlete community agreed was in line with the established principles of sweeping,' World Curling said in a statement. 'The updated regulations ensure that the foams used in the component-style brushes have their minimum compression specification increased to a higher percentage, allowing only the less-firm category of foams to be used. Article content 'It was agreed that manufacturers of component-style brushes would be given the opportunity to create foam matching those specifications or continue to use the existing foam they produce in that range.' The 'sweep testing' exercise took place in late spring at the curling rink in Morris, Man. 'We were lucky to have Brett Gallant there,' Webster said of the decorated Team Jacobs second. 'He wasn't able to share too much until this week until it was announced. 'But he was really happy with how it went and confident that they've ended up with something that everyone's going to be happy with. 'It's nice having people there that you know and can be confident about,' Webster continued. 'Like if World Curling did this with an undisclosed sweeping group and we are just supposed to take their word for it, we might all be looking at each other with question marks. Article content 'So I think having some of these top athletes there was super important.' It's not the first time a 'sweeping summit' has been put into play. A decade ago, the curling world met in Kemptville, Ont., to discuss a similar crisis that had erupted, with the end result being a universal fabric put into use for all competitive play. WHAT BROOMS ARE AFFECTED BY THE RULE CHANGE With the new regulations coming into effect, the following brushes are no longer approved for play in World Curling competitions, says World Curling: • BalancePlus RS with Firm 2.0 foam • Goldline Impact with Evader foam • Goldline Impact with Pursuer foam (already withdrawn) • Hardline Ice Pad with Competitive foam • SmartBroom by Curling Tools with current foam 'Everything that was in play last year was legal,' Webster said. 'And what the athletes recognized — and the athletes were spearheading this — is that (the firmer broom) was pushing the game to a level they weren't comfortable with. Article content 'So the ability for the World Curling Federation to hear that — albeit, I think, a few months too late — and involve athletes and brush manufacturers, much like they did back in 2016 — the last time we did this type of thing — I just think that's where you get the credibility and accountability. 'They've included all the parties in front of it.' WHAT BROOMS ARE STILL IN PLAY? The regulation changes will apply only to component-style brushes (covers/sleeves over moulded foam). So the following brushes are approved for play in World Curling competitions, which includes the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy: • BalancePlus with Original RS Foam • BalancePlus RS with 3.0 foam • SmartBroom by Curling Tools with less-firm foam (subject to lab approval) • Goldline Impact with Pulsar foam • Hardline Ice Pad with Recreational foam • End Game Icon Article content All existing traditional brushes (with fabric stapled to the brush head) remain approved. 'It's important to note that we don't want to take sweeping out of the game,' Webster continued. 'I think some of our best highlights are getting by those guards by an eighth-of-an-inch or whatever it might be — those are some of our best highlights when all four people are involved in the shot.' IS THIS THE LAST OF BROOMGATE 2.0? Officials are calling the ruling a first step, with long-term reviews and equipment standards still in development. 'This is not the end of the process with all involved recognizing this is an interim step designed to move the sport through the Olympic season,' World Curling said in its statement. 'As our sport continues to modernize and professionalize at the élite level, our athletes and manufacturers continue to look for competitive and innovative approaches to improve performance on the ice.' Article content But there's no doubt the ruling marked the biggest step in quelling the controversy. 'I think we are done with Broomgate,' Webster said. 'There's still distance and other issues to discuss with the brooms. 'But knowing the work that BalancePlus, Goldline and Hardline are all doing right now, I'm sure there's going to be a new brush coming out at some point in terms of design that will have to use certain foam. 'I don't think we're going to have anything coming up, but we also didn't think Broomgate 2.0 was going to happen. So you can never say never. 'But with this ruling, we're confident going into the fourth year of this quadrennial that we've got something that is going to ensure the top teams are going to get on the podium.' Latest National Stories
Calgary Herald
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
World Curling sweeps Broomgate 2.0 away with new ruling ahead of Olympic year
Broomgate 2.0 has finally been swept aside. Article content After months of controversy, World Curling has made a decision to entirely ban firmer broom foams that many players said gave sweepers too much control of the rocks that were being thrown. Article content Article content Just in time for the Olympic year ahead. Article content 'Following the challenges throughout the 2024-2025 season of the reported over-effectiveness of several brush-head constructions, World Curling are updating the sweeping equipment compliance regulations for the Olympic season — effective immediately,' World Curling said in a statement Friday. Article content Article content Most players in the curling world are on board with the rule because it's creating a level playing field amongst the curling teams, but allowing the emphasis of the game to be focused on the person with the rock. Article content Article content Rather than the technology of the broom heads hogging the spotlight of each curling shot, the ruling ensures the talent of the shot-makers is shining through. Article content 'It's a common solution that creates the game that everyone wants,' Team Jacobs and five-time Olympic coach Paul Webster said. 'I think what the fans need to understand is the athletes want this. They don't want a foam or a fabric like we used to have that ends up with kind of what we refer to as 'remote-control rocks.' Article content 'They want it to come down to who are the best curlers on the planet. So if it's 90% shooting and 10% sweeping, then great. I just think last year or so, there's been too much involvement of the sweepers.' Article content Article content Some say the decision should've come sooner, given the issues the new technology presented during the most recent season. Article content But World Curling waited until season's end — a fair timeline so as not to interfere with the integrity of the 2024-25 schedule — to put into play a covert session with invited athletes, manufacturers and ice experts of the curling world. Article content It was a lab — of sorts — to measure the impact of the broom heads in question, with World Curling describing the extensive consultation as being staged in a 'highly co-operative atmosphere.' Article content 'The time allowed in-depth discussions to take place on how the effectiveness of sweeping could be maintained at a level the athlete community agreed was in line with the established principles of sweeping,' World Curling said in a statement. 'The updated regulations ensure that the foams used in the component-style brushes have their minimum compression specification increased to a higher percentage, allowing only the less-firm category of foams to be used.
Calgary Herald
27-04-2025
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
Busy curling season takes Canada's Jocelyn Peterman, Brett Gallant to world mixed doubles championship
Time hasn't exactly been on the side of Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant in the 2024-25 curling season. Article content Curling every week since late December, it seems, has kept Canada's mixed doubles curling champions extremely busy and often away from each other with team pursuit at the forefront of their schedules. Article content So any added minutes for Peterman and Gallant together were welcome to give the couple quality time to rest up, renew acquaintances and tune up their game ahead of the 2025 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship — on now through Saturday at Willie O'Ree Place in Fredericton, N.B. Article content 'Feeling rested now … both physically and mentally,' declared Gallant, who, alongside Peterman, proved that by pushing Canada to perfection on the opening day of worlds. Article content Article content 'You know … we practised, Joce and I, for a bit over the last couple of weeks together, which is kind of nice,' continued Gallant. 'We don't always have the chance to practise exclusively together on mixed doubles, because usually we're kind of practising for our four-person teams, as well. Article content 'So we had a pretty good little stretch there for a couple of weeks.' Article content First and foremost was the rest it offered them, especially for Gallant, since he was on a marathon run of events. Article content Article content There was the Canadian mixed doubles trials victory in January, giving them the right to represent the nation at these worlds and — pending qualification this week — at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milano-Cortina, Italy. Article content Article content To follow was a Grand Slam of Curling final appearance at the WFG Masters. Article content Then came their separate runs at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts and the Montana's Brier. Article content Just ahead of Gallant's participation with Brier-winning Team Jacobs at the men's worlds, they curled together in the mixed doubles nationals in Prince Edward Island. Article content And then Gallant was slated to play with Team Jacobs in the AMJ Players' Championship, the GSOC season finale, but was given the week off to return home to prepare for these all-important worlds.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bearded Ben Hebert soaking up worlds experience in Moose Jaw
Ben Hebert is rocking curling's version of a playoff beard this week at the World Men's Curling Championship in Moose Jaw. In fact, the Team Canada lead has been growing out his beard since a bonspiel in January when skip Brad Jacobs noticed Hebert had more facial hair than usual. 'I've never grown a beard in my life and then Lloydminster this year — I hadn't shaved for a few days; just being lazy — and Brad's like, 'Can you grow a beard?' I'm like, 'No, I don't think so. I've never even tried, but I don't think I can grow a beard,' ' said Hebert. 'He's like, 'Let's try and grow Brier beards.' ' And so Hebert, Jacobs, second Brett Gallant and third Marc Kennedy, who opted for chest hair, decided to keep growing the extra hair through the Montana's Brier in Kelowna in March. And when Team Jacobs won the Canadian men's curling championship, there was no doubt they were keeping the beards for worlds. 'Mine was horrendous,' said Hebert. 'I had to hide for three weeks but now that it's fully in, it's not so bad. 'Brad was like, 'Well — let's see — if it looks horrendous by the Brier, you have to shave it. And he said it was looking good, so I kept it. 'And yeah, we're running the beards until we're out of it.' So far this week at the worlds, Canada more than in the mix to be in contention for the gold medal on Sunday. After starting off 3-0, the Canadians suffered their first loss to world No. 1 ranked Team Scotland on Monday before rebounding with an 8-6 win over defending champion Niklas Edin and Team Sweden on Tuesday. Following a 4-2 win against Italy on Tuesday night, Canada improved to 5-1 and has six remaining round robin games before Saturday's playoff round begins. For the 42-year-old Hebert, playing in Moose Jaw just down the road from where he grew up in Regina, this event has been the thrill of a lifetime. And the playoffs haven't even arrived yet. 'Dream situation all around,' said Hebert, who has called Alberta home for the last two decades. 'Playing with the team we're playing with, how well we're playing, the way we won the Brier in Kelowna and then coming back home for worlds. 'Great to see family and friends. Crowd has been awesome. Media has been awesome. Everything's been awesome. It's a 10 out of 10 situation so far, and hopefully we can shake a few more wins out of this and get into the playoffs.' Hebert's teammates have also been noticing the extra support they've been getting. 'We've been calling him the premier of Saskatchewan over the last couple weeks with the amount of people we know that are going to come and support him,' said Kennedy, who played with Hebert from 2006-18 and again from 2022 until now, said before the tournament. 'He's one of the hardest working guys. Nobody wants to win more than Ben Hebert and he makes the people around him so much better and makes them believe that they're even better than they are sometimes. 'He's going to have all of Saskatchewan behind our team, which is terrific.' Ultimately, a gold medal on Sunday will make this tournament that much sweeter for Hebert, as the five-time Brier champ looks to add to his resume which also includes an Olympic gold medal (Vancouver 2010), two world golds (2008 and 2016) and two world silvers (2009 and 2019). And to do it on home soil — in his home province no less — would be the cherry on top. 'When I was young, like 23 or 24, going away and going to Korea or going to Switzerland, that was cool because I'd never seen the world,' said Hebert, who won world championships in North Dakota and Switzerland. 'This is the best part of the world for curling, and this is right where you want to be. 'And every team would say that. We don't get a tenth of the fans anywhere else (internationally), and that atmosphere for me, a guy that's played in packed houses to go to a world championship and play in an empty barn and no claps, that's not going to get the energy going for me. 'This is right where we want to be.' tshire@ Canada loses to Scotland in heavyweight battle at World Men's Curling Championship Team Canada eager to be home squad at World Men's Curling Championship in Moose Jaw
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Everything you need to know about the 2025 Men's Worlds: Lineups, curlers and skinny for each rink
It's been a few years since Canada recorded a world championship victory in men's curling circles. That came back in 2017 Edmonton, when Brad Gushue and his 'Rock' band drummed up a second straight title for the country. Since then, it's been platinum success by Sweden's Niklas Edin in winning five of the last six events — with Scotland's Bruce Mouat interrupting that tune for one score in 2023 Ottawa. So who's going to be in sound form for the 2025 BKT World Men's Curling Championship, when it begins Friday in Moose Jaw, Sask.? 'We're obviously looking at Bruce Mouat,' said Canada vice-skip Marc Kennedy, turning up the volume on World Curling's top-ranked team, based on points collected during the 2024-25 season. 'And we know Niklas Edin hasn't had a great season, but we know what he's like at the world championship, so he's going to be right in there.' Indeed, Edin is currently ranked 13th on the planet — a far cry from his usual noisy self. But the seven-time world victor and 2022 Olympic king can't be ignored on this stage. Then again, neither can many in a 13-team field — with rinks having qualified from either the 2024 Le Gruyère AOP European Curling Championships or the 2024 Pan Continental Curling Championships — popping with contenders for the crown. 'There doesn't seem to be a lot of easy games,' said Kennedy, a key voice himself on the World Curling No. 3 Brad Jacobs crew from Calgary. 'We've had some challenges with (No. 4) Yannick Schwaller from Switzerland this year. (No. 8) Marc Muskatewitz from Germany winning the Euros, I think, puts them in the mix there, as well. And then, of course, the Italians — they're going to be real tough to beat. 'So those are probably the the main ones we have on our radar. But there's also a couple of Asian teams that are going to really put up a good fight. We've played a few of them this year, and they're very tough to beat. 'So looking at that schedule, I think we're preparing for no easy games. We're going to do everything we can to try to get in the top two so we can get that by to the semi. But this is really going to be a one-game-at-a-time approach, going in healthy and rested and just try to get as many wins as we possibly can. 'But the depth here is definitely more is deeper than the Brier, and we're going to have to be ready.' Here's a look at the field for the worlds, set to begin Saturday — including Canada v. Japan's Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi — at Moose Jaw's Temple Gardens Centre (3 p.m. ET, TSN) … Homan's domination provides inspiration for Team Jacobs at upcoming world men's curling championship How curling in Canada evolved from recreational origins to become a competitive sports juggernaut • CANADA (The Glencoe Club, Calgary) — Brad Jacobs (skip), Marc Kennedy (third), Brett Gallant (second), Ben Hebert (lead), Tyler Tardi (alternate) How they qualified: Finished first at 2025 Montana's Brier, after Brad Gushue qualified Canada by finishing fourth at the 2024 Pan Continental Curling Championships in Lacombe, Alta. The skinny: Combined, Team Jacobs boasts seven world titles, five Olympic medals and a whopping 26 national crowns, including seven Olympic trials victories and a Canada Winter Games win • AUSTRIA (Kitzbühel Curling Club) — Mathias Genner (skip), Jonas Backofen (third), Martin Reichel (second), Florian Mavec (lead), Matthaeus Hofer (alternate) How they qualified: Finished seventh at the 2024 Euros The skinny: Team Genner began a run to these worlds at the 2023 European championships with a silver-medal finish in the B Division to earn a promotion to last year's A Division of the Euros, during which it scored a 3-6 worlds-qualifying record. Genner is 111th ranked in the world. • CHINA (Harbin CC) — Xu Xiaoming (skip), Fei Xueqing (third), Wang Zhiyu (second), Li Zhichao (lead), Yang Bohao (alternate) How they qualified: Won the 2024 Pan Continentals The skinny: Skip Xu, boss of the 25th-ranked rink, has been to worlds seven previous times, although this is his first visit since 2017 — then as a third under Lui Rui. And Xu has only ever made the playoffs once at worlds — that during his first trip in 2008, with skip Wang Fengchun. • CZECHIA (Zbraslav CC & CC Dion, Prague) — Lukas Klima (skip), Marek Cernovsky (third), Martin Jurik (second), Lukas Klipa (lead), Radek Bohac (alternate) How they qualified: Finished eighth at the 2024 Euros The skinny: It's a fourth consecutive worlds appearance for the 34th-ranked Team Klima with a similar lineup. Klima himself was also at worlds with skip Jiri Snitil in 2015 but has yet to make the playoffs with five wins marking his best effort at the event. • GERMANY (CC Füssen) — Marc Muskatewitz (skip), Benjamin Kapp (third), Felix Messenzehl (second), Johannes Scheuerl (lead), Mario Trevisiol (alternate) How they qualified: Won the 2024 Euros then won the 2025 German men's championship The skinny: Team Muskatewitz, the eighth-ranked rink on the planet, took down Team Mouat 9-7 in the gold-medal final of the Euros to help earn his the skip his sixth straight trip to worlds. Muskatewitz boasts the same lineup as year, when it gave Germany its first spot in the playoffs since legend Andy Kapp in 2009, finishing fifth. • ITALY (Trentino Curling Cembra, Cembra) — Joël Retornaz (skip), Amos Mosaner (third), Sebastiano Arman (second), Mattia Giovanella (lead), Giacomo Colli (alternate) How they qualified: Finished sixth at the 2024 Euros and then won the Italian men's championship The skinny: Retornaz, a four-time winner on the Grand Slam of Curling tour, is ranked 12th heading into his 11th worlds appearance, which is his eighth straight and ninth with long-time running-mate Mosaner. The 41-year-old Retornaz is a three-time Olympian trying to better his worlds' bronze medals in 2022 and '24. • JAPAN (SC Karuizawa Club) — Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi (skip), Riku Yanagisawa (fourth), Takeru Yamamoto (second), Satoshi Koizumi (lead), Shingo Usui (alternate) How they qualified: Won the 2025 Japan curling championships after Japan's Shinya Abe finished runner-up at the 2024 Pan Continentals The skinny: Despite seen previous visits to worlds, Yamaguchi is still looking for his first medal, as is Japan itself. The 40-year-old skip heads the 28th-ranked team at worlds — the same squad that competed but missed the playoffs with a 5-7 record in the event in 2023. It's been a while since Yamaguchi's two playoff berths — in 2016 and '13 under skip Yausuke Morozumi. • NORWAY (Trondheim CK) — Magnus Ramsfjell (skip), Martin Sesaker (fourth), Bendik Ramsfjell (second), Gaute Nepstad (lead), Wilhelm Naess (alternate) How they qualified: Won bronze at the 2024 Euros The skinny: Ramsfjell & Co. have been together through three previous worlds, highlighted by their 10-2 finish in the round robin in 2023. Unfortunately, they lost in the qualification round. This March, they come in as the 14th-ranked team after having played in three grand-slam events during the season, trying to improve on their disappointing 4-8 follow-up a year ago. • SCOTLAND (Gogar Park CC, Edinburgh) — Bruce Mouat (skip), Grant Hardie (third), Bobby Lammie (second), Hammy McMillan (lead), Kyle Waddell (alternate) How they qualified: Finished runner-up at the 2024 Euros The skinny: The No. 1 team in the world — by a wide margin on the points board — heads into the event as the favourite, thanks a sparkling season, including title takes at 3-of-4 GSOC events so far. Team Mouat is in its third campaign together, highlighted by the 2023 worlds crown but looking to rebound from semifinal and bronze-medal-game losses last year. • SOUTH KOREA (Uiseong CC) — Kim Hyo-jun (skip), Kim Eun-bin (third), Pyo Jeong-min (second), Kim Jin-hun (lead), Kim Chang-min (alternate) How they qualified: Won the 2024 Korean curling championships under skip Lae Jae-beom and then finished fifth at the 2024 Pan Continentals under Lae. The skinny: Kim Hyo-jun takes command of the 61st-ranked rink, looking to get Korea its first-ever medal at worlds. Korea lost the bronze-medal match in 2018, when this year's alternate, Kim Chang-min, was the skip. Last year, Korea was just 2-10 under skip Park Jong-duk. SWEDEN (Karlstads CK) — Niklas Edin (skip), Oskar Eriksson (third), Rasmus Wranaa (second), Christoffer Sundgren (lead), Simon Olofsson (alternate) How they qualified: Finished fifth at the 2024 Euros The skinny: Seven-time world-champ skip Edin is the defending champ, along with his high-profile rink, which remains intact for a ninth-straight year. It's a wowzer 14th visit to the worlds for 40-year-old Edin, but the team comes in just 13th ranked on the planet after sub-standard finishes on the grand-slam circuit. But don't every count out Edin & Co. SWITZERLAND (CC3C Genève) — Yannick Schwaller (skip), Benoit Schwarz-van Berkel (fourth), Sven Michel (second), Pablo Lachat-Couchepin (lead), Kim Schwaller (alternate) How they qualified: Finished fourth at the 2024 Euros and won the Swiss men's curling championship The skinny: The fourth-ranked team in the world is vying to give Switzerland its first gold medal since 1992, when Markus Eggler won worlds. Schwaller & Co. came close two years ago in 2023, earning the bronze. But they'll have to do better than last spring, when the same lineup missed the playoffs with a pedestrian 6-6 mark. The 29-year-old Schwaller, the 2014 world junior champ, skipped his crew to three playoff appearances in GSOC play this season. UNITED STATES (Duluth CC) — Korey Dropkin (skip), Tom Howell (third), Andrew Stopera (second), Mark Fenner (lead), Christopher Plys (alternate) How they qualified: Won bronze at the 2024 Pan Continentals The skinny: Dropkin, 29 and his 11th-ranked Minnesota rink downed Gushue at the Pan Continentals to medal in Lacombe and qualify for these worlds. Dropkin's only other visit to worlds not as an alternate came in 2022, when the skip, third Joe Polo, second Fenner and lead Howell made playoffs with a 7-5 record but bowed out to Gushue in the semi and lost to Retornaz in the bronze-medal match. tsaelhof@
