{allcanada} May be strongest field ever for Brier

 

It's difficult to pick a favourite for the Tim Hortons Brier.

The field is one of the deepest in recent memory. There's 2006 Olympic champion Brad Gushue, two-time national champ Jeff Stoughton and three-time world champion Glenn Howard.

However, it's hard not to like Alberta skip Kevin Martin's chances. He won Olympic gold last year in Vancouver and is on a record 26-game Brier winning streak.

"I don't know if you ever go into something like a Brier overly confident, that's for sure," Martin said. "But we're working hard, trying to be prepared and we'll see if we can keep that streak going a little bit longer."

The Brier starts Saturday and runs through March 13 at the John Labatt Centre in London, Ont.

The 44-year-old Martin previously won in 1991, 1997, 2008 and 2009 and is looking to become the first five-time winner as skip.

Randy Ferbey holds the record with six Brier wins, although two of his victories came as third for Pat Ryan, while four were as skip. Only Martin, Ferbey and Ernie Richardson are four-time Brier winners as skips

"The Brier's been really good to us," said Marc Kennedy, who has been Martin's second since 2007. "We seem to be really comfortable in that environment. There's lots of pressure but it's lots of fun."

Martin comes in on a high after knocking off 2010 national and world champion Kevin Koe last month. Third John Morris and lead Ben Hebert round out the rink, which Kennedy said has found its form of late.

"We haven't played our best this year and we've won a lot," Kennedy said. "There's definitely room for us to sharpen our game."

The Competition includes Gushue, who represents Newfoundland and Labrador and is looking for his first Brier win. Manitoba's Stoughton is making his ninth Brier appearance and Howard is coming off his sixth straight Ontario title.

Northern Ontario's Brad Jacobs is back after a surprise third-place finish last year and Shawn Adams of Nova Scotia returns after a runner-up effort in 2005.

"The field is deep," Kennedy said. "There's really no easy games this year. Sometimes you can count on three or four games where you can get away without playing your best.

"But that's not the case this time."

There will be several members of the Howard clan on hand.

Glenn's son Scott will be the fifth on his Ontario rink. Russ Howard is working as a broadcaster and his son Steven is the second for New Brunswick.

Glenn Howard said he's looking forward to having his son on board.

"It's just absolutely unreal for me," Howard said. "It's a dream come true to have my son beside me."

Steve Laycock will represent Saskatchewan and Jamie Koe will skip the Yukon/Northwest Territories rink. Skip James Grattan will represent New Brunswick.

P.E.I. skip Eddie MacKenzie is back for the first time since making his Brier debut in 1994. Skip Jim Cotter will lead the British Columbia rink and Quebec's Francois Gagne is participating for the first time.

Martin will try to start running the table for a third time when he opens against Northern Ontario on Saturday afternoon. Kennedy said a good start is critical.

"I think that is crucial at these events," he said. "When we usually get off to a 2-0, or a 3-0 or a 4-0 lead, we really get confident. We'd like to get a good start and get comfortable in our surroundings.

"Hopefully the ice conditions are good and hopefully we can get rolling like we've done in previous years."

Notes -- Martin won his first Brier in his debut back in 1991. ... Gushue third Mark Nichols will retire from competitive curling at the end of the season. ... Manitoba leads all provinces with 26 victories since the Brier was first held in Toronto in 1927. Alberta is next with 25.

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