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Team Howard looking for some Brier glory in Alberta

Glenn Howard and Wayne Middaugh teaming up at this week's Tim Hortons Brier in Calgary
Glenn Howard 3
Veteran skip Glenn Howard delivers a rock in this file photo. Leith Dunick/tbnewswatch.com

Two local sports legends are trying to make some history this week in Calgary.

Former World Champion curlers Glenn Howard and Wayne Middaugh are teaming up again at this year’s Tim Hortons Brier, which started Friday for eight of the field's 18 teams.

Round-robin play begins Saturday morning for the venerable pair and their rink as they go up against the Northwest Territories’ squad.

Howard and Middaugh first happened upon the national curling scene while playing under the tutelage of another curling legend, Howard’s brother Russ. With Russ and lead Peter Corner, they captured the Brier in 1993 at Ottawa’s old civic centre.

Six years prior to that, Russ and Glenn won their first Brier together with a front end of Tim Belcourt and Kent Carstairs.

Now, the 58-year-old Howard and 53-year-old Middaugh will try bring the Tankard back to Ontario for the first time since 2012 when they were part of the last Ontario team to win the coveted trophy in 2012 when they teamed up with front end Craig Savill and Brent Laing (a team representing Northern Ontario won in 2013).

Howard won again in 2007 with Savill and Laing and Richard Hart throwing third stones while Middaugh skipped his own team to the championship in 1998.

This marks Middaugh’s 10th appearance at the Canadian men’s curling championship in the past three decades while Howard has now won 18 provincial championships, catapulting him to the big event where he made his first appearance playing with Russ in 1986.

And due to the ongoing pandemic, this time winning a Purple Heart (ie Ontario championship) wasn’t required with Howard drawing a wild-card invitation to compete alongside his Penetanguishene Curling Club rink that also includes his son Scott, David Mathers and Tim March. Middaugh serves as an alternate this time around, but is expected to see plenty of action.

Ontario is being represented by John Epping at the 10-day event that culminates March 14 with the championship game.

Howard’s rink is also in tough against a stacked Brier field that includes two other strong wildcard entries (including former champion Kevin Koe and Mike McEwen) defending champion Brad Gushue representing Newfoundland and Labrador, Northern Ontario’s Brad Jacobs, who won the Tankard in 2013, Alberta’s Brendan Bottcher and Saskatchewan’s Matt Dunstone.

Most games are being shown on TSN.


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Andrew Philips

About the Author: Andrew Philips

Editor Andrew Philips is a multiple award-winning journalist whose writing has appeared in some of the country’s most respected news outlets. Originally from Midland, Philips returned to the area from Québec City a decade ago.
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