‘It is unbelievable to see this stage of play’ Brad Gushue’s historic fifth Brier has his fellow Newfoundland and Labrador curlers buzzing

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Posted By: jasabacklink March 14, 2023

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ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — It’s beginning to turn out to be more durable and more durable to separate Brad Gushue from the Brier remaining.

The Newfoundland and Labrador skip and his rink have gained 5 of the final seven Briers relationship again to 2017, when gained their first in entrance of a raucous house crowd in St. John’s.

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The newest victory got here Sunday night, March 12, when Gushue defeated Manitoba’s Matt Dunstone 7-5 within the remaining.

After the win, Curling Canada proclaimed him the “King of the Brier.”

St. John’s roller Greg Smith says it’s a title that’s well-deserved.

“I feel that the previous 5 … I assume, six, seven years now, since (Gushue) has gained, he is actually cemented his spot within the finals,” mentioned Smith, who has twice represented Newfoundland and Labrador on the Brier because the provincial champion. “He’s all the time had document within the playoffs and deserved to win Briers years earlier than he gained his first one.

“It is unbelievable to see this stage of play each time he goes there, and to see what they do within the playoffs is phenomenal.”

Gushue was joined within the win by vice-skip Mark Nichols, second E.J. Harnden and lead Geoff Walker. The workforce was coachedd by Caleb Flaxey.

Historic win

The Gushue rink’s win is historic within the curling world.

The trio of Gushue, Walker and Nichols now have 5 Brier championships, putting them one behind Randy Ferbey’s document variety of six. For that group, it was their fifth win since their first championship in 2017.

Harnden, however, gained was his second Brier title and his first in 10 years.

With the win, Gushue additionally turned the one particular person to skip their workforce to 5 Brier titles. He additionally gained the Hec Gervais Most Helpful Playoff Award for his efficiency within the playoffs.

Within the minutes after the victory, Gushue was requested what standing in that rarefied air meant to him.

“That’s cool,” Gushue advised reporters moments after successful. “To be sincere, when E.J. got here on to the workforce he needed to get this (win) in. That they had so many shut runs with Brad Jacobs, so to complete it off and get it for him, and clearly, for myself, Mark and Geoff, to get 5, it’s fairly superior.

“It’s undoubtedly a workforce win. It by no means will get outdated successful.”

The best?

While you’ve gained as a lot because the Gushue rink has, inevitably, the dialog turns to who’s the best of all time.

With the fifth championship within the trophy case, together with the Olympic gold medal, world title and 14 Grand Slam titles, amongst his worldwide wins, the workforce from Newfoundland and Labrador has the credentials to be on the prime of that dialog.

Smith says the reply to that query is a powerful sure, and he tweeted as a lot after Gushue’s win.

“I feel lots of people are pondering it now greater than ever,” he mentioned. “It actually cemented himself and getting near the (best of all time) standing.

“He is getting fairly near that.”

Making the native scene higher

Gushue’s success on the nationwide and worldwide ranges has meant a rise in curiosity and participation within the sport.

Since his first win in 2017, it’s additionally meant a rise within the aggressive stage for groups.

“I do know for a reality it impressed so many younger curlers and impressed me and my teammates to see what he is doing,” mentioned Smith. “Actually what he has completed is exhibiting us and paving the best way for everybody else to be pretty much as good as we will be.”

When the Brier rolls round in 2024, it is going to be the sixth time since Gushue gained his first Brier championship that there might be a second workforce from this province competing on the Brier.

That may solely be seen as a optimistic.

“It simply means that you will be making an attempt even more durable, doing much more occasions and coaching extra, as a result of it is a huge open discipline within the provincial,” mentioned Smith. “He is making us higher by him successful.

“It is making us should be pretty much as good as we will be, as a result of we’ve got to beat the remainder of the sphere.”

Subsequent up for Gushue and his workforce might be representing the nation on the 2023 World Males’s Curling Championships being held April 1-9 in Ottawa.

There, they’ll look to win Canada’s first gold medal on the occasion since 2017, which, because it ought to occur, was gained by Gushue.