35 Years Between Briers

Alex Smith just shattered the record for the number of years between Canadian men’s curling championship appearances.

Smith, who will have turned 58 years old by the time the Brier kicks off in Regina, Sask., first appeared at the Brier in 1989.

It was his only appearance—until now, and he’s finally getting his second shot.

Smith, a recent and rather abrupt member of Team Andrew Symonds, defeated two-time Brier rep Greg Smith 7-5 to win the 2024 provincial title in St. John’s.

Symonds, the 2019 champion, needed a player when Keith Jewer separated his shoulder and in stepped Smith.

Fellow teammates Colin Thomas and Stephen Trickett weren’t even born when Smith hit the Brier ice in Saskatoon, Sask. with skip Lorne Henderson.

The previous record between Brier appearances was 24 years, shared by 2019 Territories teammates Clinton Abel and Scott Odian.

At the 2020 Brier, PEI’s Ian MacAulay marked 17 years between Briers.

Smith’s 35 blows them all out of the water.

His 1988 Newfoundland squad (there was no reference to Labrador back then) went 7-4 for their Brier week; a more than respectable won/loss record as they tied for fourth place—just missing the playoffs—with Manitoba’s Orest Meleschuk and Nova Scotia’s Ragnar Kamp.

For additional historical context, that Brier was won by Alberta’s “Ryan Express.” The event also featured bad ice, a svelte Randy Ferbey and Russ Howard losing his voice (and using an illegal microphone/earpiece setup).

Al Hackner was there, too, and he’ll also be in Regina for this year’s Brier—but as a coach, following Trevor Bonot’s stolen 7-5 win over Tanner Horgan.

Glenn Howard was also in Saskatoon, and he’ll also be coaching in March following his son Scott’s three-man Ontario Tankard victory (8-7 over youthful Jayden King of London) in Dorchester.

Howard has been on the shelf for a while due to his bad knee, which suffered a major flareup in 2022.

He might hope to make the Brier as a player … but that ship may have sailed.

“Yeah, it’s crazy,” said Smith. “I really thought my competitive days are done, but the stars just lined up.

“These guys needed a player and I was able to fit in.”

Smith teamed with Brier veteran Mark Noseworthy back in November at the 2023 Canadian Seniors in Vernon, B.C. and went 3-3 in their pool.

“I’ve lost a fair bit to Brad (Gushue) over the years,” said Smith. “And then life gets in the way and you make some career decisions, and step away from curling for a while.

“But I’ve been curling off and on ever since then.

“It’s crazy, fantastic.”

Less than an hour before the Symonds celebrations, Team Stacie Curtis walloped Brooke Godsland’s foursome 13-5 to win the women’s provincial women’s championship. The victory marks Curtis’ seventh red heart and another trip to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Calgary.

In other women’s STOH provincial results, Kaitlyn Lawes defeated Beth Peterson to capture the Manitoba crown; Clancy Grandy repeated her B.C. title over Corryn Brown; Jane DiCarlo defeated Amanda Power in PEI; Danielle Inglis prevailed over Carly Howard in Ontario; Selena Sturmay stole two points in the final end to beat defending Alberta champion Kayla Skrlik 6-5, and Krista McCarville (Northern Ontario) and Laurie St. Georges (Quebec) repeated as champions.

In other men’s provincial news, Jean-Michel Arsenault upset Felix Asselin 7-6 to win the Quebec title; Catlin Schneider defeated Jason Montgomery 5-2 for British Columbia’s Brier berth, and Tyler Smith won his third consecutive PEI Tankard with an 8-3 win over Jamie Newson.