The 2008 Tim Hortons Brier, Canada's men's curling championship, was held from March 8 to 16 at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Skipped by Kevin Martin, Alberta defeated the defending champion, and reigning World Champion Glenn Howard and Team Ontario. The final pitted arguably the top 2 teams in the world, at least the top 2 teams in the World Curling Tour. The final, while close, failed to live up to expectations, and was widely considered boring, and was full of mistakes due to ice problems. Martin had a draw to the button in the tenth end to win the game.
Teams British ColumbiaManitoba Saville SC, Edmonton Skip: Kevin Martin Third: John Morris Second: Marc Kennedy Lead: Ben Hebert Alternate: Adam EnrightKelowna CC, Kelowna Fourth: Jim Cotter Skip: Bob Ursel Second: Kevin Folk Lead: Rick Sawatsky Alternate: Tom Buchy Assiniboine Memorial CC, Winnipeg Skip: Kerry Burtnyk Third: Dan Kammerlock Second: Richard Daneault Lead: Garth Smith Alternate: Reid CarruthersNew BrunswickNewfoundland and LabradorNorthern Ontario Gage G&CC, Oromocto Skip: James Grattan Third: Mike Kennedy Second: Jason Vaughan Lead: Peter Case Alternate: Andy McCannBally Haly G&CC, St. John's Skip: Brad Gushue Third: Mark Nichols Second: Chris Schille Lead: Dave Noftall Alternate: Glenn GossSoo CA, Sault Ste. Marie Skip: Eric Harnden Third: E. J. Harnden Second: Ryan Harnden Lead: Caleb Flaxey Alternate: Brad Jacobs Nova ScotiaOntarioPrince Edward IslandBridgewater CC, Bridgewater Skip: Brian Rafuse Third: Curt Palmer Second: Alan Darragh Lead: Dave Slauenwhite Alternate: Glenn JosephsonColdwater & District CC, Coldwater Skip: Glenn Howard Third: Richard Hart Second: Brent Laing Lead: Craig Savill Alternate: Steve BiceCharlottetown CC, Charlottetown Skip: Peter Gallant Third: Kevin Champion Second: Mark O'Rourke Lead: John Desrosiers Alternate: Mark ButlerQuebec SaskatchewanYukon/Northwest Territories CC Victoria, Sainte-Foy CC Etchemin, Saint-Romuald Skip: Jean-Michel Ménard Third: Martin Crête Second: Éric Sylvain Lead: Jean Gagnon Alternate: Philippe MénardDavidson CC, Davidson Skip: Pat Simmons Third: Jeff Sharp Second: Gerry Adam Lead: Steve Laycock Alternate: Warren Jackson Whitehorse CC, Whitehorse Skip: Chad Cowan Third: Wade Scoffin Second: James Buyck Lead: Clint Ireland Alternate: Doug Gee
Map of teams
Round-robin standings Final round-robin standings KeyTeams to PlayoffsTeams to Tiebreaker LocaleSkip Kevin Martin 11 0 86 52 50 40 11 11 89% Pat Simmons 9 2 80 58 50 45 9 12 84% Glenn Howard 9 2 85 50 54 33 11 22 88% Bob Ursel 7 4 72 66 45 47 15 11 84% Brad Gushue 7 4 77 69 51 44 13 14 82% Kerry Burtnyk 6 5 59 66 47 40 2 19 79% Jean-Michel Ménard 4 7 76 69 48 48 11 15 80% Eric Harnden 3 8 65 80 43 53 6 6 79% Peter Gallant 3 8 61 78 40 50 6 7 77% Brian Rafuse 3 8 60 92 42 56 8 3 77% James Grattan 2 9 71 86 46 54 7 5 79% Chad Cowan 2 9 57 83 44 50 11 9 79%
Round-robin results All draw times are listed in Central Standard Time (UTC−6).
Draw 1 Saturday, March 8, 14:00
Draw 2 Saturday, March 8, 19:00
Draw 3 Sunday, March 9, 8:30
Draw 4 Sunday, March 9, 14:00
Draw 5 Sunday, March 9, 19:00
Draw 6 Monday, March 10, 9:30
Draw 7 Monday, March 10, 14:00
Draw 8 Monday, March 10, 19:00
Draw 9 Tuesday, March 11, 9:30
Draw 10 Tuesday, March 11, 14:00
Draw 11 Tuesday, March 11, 19:00
Draw 12 Wednesday, March 12, 9:30
Draw 13 Wednesday, March 12, 14:00
Draw 14 Wednesday, March 12, 19:00
Draw 15 Thursday, March 13, 9:30
Draw 16 Thursday, March 13, 14:00
Draw 17 Thursday, March 13, 19:00
The Quebec vs. Northern Ontario match was the most recent Brier match that went to a second extra end.
Tiebreaker Friday, March 14, 19:30
Playoffs
3 vs. 4 Friday, March 14, 15:00
1 vs. 2 Friday, March 14, 20:00
Semifinal Saturday, March 15, 13:30
Final Sunday, March 16, 17:30
Statistics Top 5 player percentages Round Robin only Leads % Rick Sawatsky 91 Craig Savill 91 Steve Laycock 88 Ben Hebert 87 Caleb Flaxey (N. Ont.) 86 Seconds % Marc Kennedy 93 Brent Laing 89 Gerry Adam 84 Chris Schille 83 Richard Daneault 82 Thirds % John Morris 89 Bob Ursel 85 Jeff Sharp 86 Richard Hart 82 Martin Crête 81 Skips % Kevin Martin 88 Glenn Howard 88 Brad Gushue 81 Pat Simmons 81 Jean-Michel Ménard 79
Awards and honours All-Star Teams First Team Skip: Kevin Martin (Alberta) Third: John Morris (Alberta) Second: Marc Kennedy (Alberta) Lead: Craig Savill (Ontario)
Second Team Skip: Glenn Howard (Ontario) Third: Bob Ursel (British Columbia) Second: Brent Laing (Ontario) Lead: Rick Sawatsky (British Columbia)
Hec Gervais Most Valuable Player Award John Morris (Alberta)
Ross Harstone Award Gerry Adam (Saskatchewan)
Scotty Harper Award – Media Award Jim Henderson, SWEEP Magazine (second win) – $500 award
Paul McLean Award Denis Lavoie, CBC-TV Sports, Associate Director
Playdowns
Defending provincial champions in italics
Alberta The 2008 Boston Pizza Cup February 12–17, Grant Fuhr Arena, Spruce Grove
Triple knock out format.
Skip Wins Losses Kevin Martin 3 0 Randy Ferbey 4 1 Kevin Koe 4 2 James Pahl 5 2 Kurt Balderston 3 3 Terry Meek 3 3 Shane Park 2 3 David Stewart 2 3 Steve Petryk 2 3 Jeff Ginter 1 3 Darren Moulding 1 3 Ron Chrenek 0 3
Playoffs 1 vs. 2: Martin 7-6 Ferbey 3 vs. 4: Pahl 3-6 Koe Semifinal: Ferbey 11-7 Koe Final: Martin 7-4 Ferbey
British Columbia February 4–10, Penticton Curling Club, Penticton
Skip Wins LossesTom Buchy 7 2Bob Ursel 6 3Greg McAulay 6 3Deane Horning 5 4 Dean Joanisse 5 4Ken McArdle 5 4Sean Geall 4 5Steve Waatainen 4 5Wes Craig 3 6Michael Dahms 0 9
Tie-breakers Joanisse 10-5 McArdle Horning 11-6 Joanisse
Page Playoffs Buchy 2-8 Ursel McAulay 8-1 Horning
Semifinal McAulay 7-3 Buchy
Final McAulay 7-8 Ursel
Manitoba
February 13–17, Brandon Keystone Centre, Brandon
Double knock out format with a playoff round and then a page playoff championship. After Saturday afternoon draws.
Skip Wins Losses David Bohn 5 0 Kerry Burtnyk 5 0 Vic Peters 5 1 Mike McEwen 6 2 Jeff Stoughton 4 2 Allan Lyburn 4 3 Peter Nicholls 3 3 Don Spriggs 3 3 Chris Galbraith 3 2 Kelly Robertson 3 2 Kelly Skinner 3 2 Reid Carruthers 2 2 Scott Madams 2 2 Bob Sigurdson 2 2 Terry McNamee 2 2 Rae Hainstock 2 2 William Lyburn 1 2 Brendan Taylor 1 2 Daley Peters 1 2 James Kirkness 1 2 Murray Woodward 1 2 Randy Neufeld 1 2 Arnold Asham 1 2 Glenn Parrott 1 2 Lorne Hamblin 0 2 Richard Muntain 0 2 Lionel Walz 0 2 Russell Shackel 0 2 Sam Antila 0 2 Blair Goethals 0 2 Dave Wallace 0 2 Rob Fleming 0 2
Playoffs 1 vs. 2: Burtnyk 5-8 Bohn 3 vs. 4: Peters 3-5 McEwen Semifinal: McEwen 5-7 Burtnyk Final: Bohn 5-11 Burtnyk
New Brunswick February 13–17, Capital Winter Club, Fredericton
Skip Wins LossesJames Grattan 5 2Jeremy Mallais 4 3Russ Howard 4 3Jamie Brannen 4 3Ryan Sherrard 4 3Charlie Sullivan 4 3Marc Lecocq 3 4 David Konefal 0 7
Tie breakers Sherrard 9-1 Brannen Sullivan 7-3 Howard Sullivan 7-6 Sherrard
Semifinal Sullivan 5-6 Mallais
Final Mallais 2-9 Grattan
Defending champion Paul Dobson did not qualify/participate
Newfoundland and Labrador February 5–10, Carol Curling Club, Labrador City
Skip Wins LossesKeith Ryan 8 1Brad Gushue 7 2Mark Noseworthy 6 3Alex Smith 6 3Bob Skanes 5 4Gary Wensman 4 5Rick Roswell 4 5 Dean Branton 3 6Jeff Staples 2 7Bruce Adam 0 9
Tiebreaker Noseworthy 10-11 Smith
Semifinal Gushue 8-4 Smith
Final Ryan 3-7 Gushue
Northern Ontario February 4–9, Englehart & Area Community Complex, Englehart
Group A Skip Wins LossesTrevor Clifford 5 2Claude Lapointe 4 3 Brian Adams Jr. 4 3 Matt Dumontelle 4 3 Scott Henderson 4 3 Al Belec 3 4Al Harnden 3 4Chris Milks 1 6
Group B Skip Wins LossesJeff Currie 6 1Rob Gordon 5 2Eric Harnden 5 2Tim Phillips 4 3John Salo 4 3Kevin Rutledge 2 5Gary Graham 2 5Bud O'Donnell 0 7
Tie breakers Dumontelle 6-4 Henderson Dumontelle 5-3 Adams
Playoffs A2 vs. B3: E. Harnden 9-5 Lapointe B2 vs. A3: Dumontelle 8-7 Gordon B1 vs. A1: Currie 7-3 Clifford Quarter final: E. Harnden 11-10 Dumontelle Semifinal: E. Harnden 7-3 Clifford Final: Currie 3-7 E. Harnden
Nova Scotia February 6–10, Wolfville Curling Club, Wolfville Triple knock-out format.
Skip Wins Losses Scott Saunders 5 0 Brian Rafuse 5 1 Shawn Adams 5 2 Doug MacKenzie 5 2 Mark Kehoe 4 3 Chris Sutherland 4 3 Brent MacDougall 3 3 Steve Ogden 2 3 Jeff Hopkins 2 3 Kent Smith 2 3 Ian Fitzner-LeBlanc 2 3 Dave LeBlanc 1 3 Lowell Goulden 1 3 Don MacIntosh 1 3 Chad Stevens 0 3 Mike Robinson 0 3
Playoffs 1 vs. 2: Saunders 3-4 Rafuse 3 vs. 4: MacKenzie 5-10 Adams Semifinal: Saunders 6-7 Adams Final: Rafuse 4-3 Adams
Ontario The 2008 TSC Stores Tankard, February 4–10, Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex, Waterloo Skip Wins LossesGlenn Howard 9 1Peter Corner 8 2Mike Harris 8 2Rob Lobel 5 5Wayne Middaugh 5 5 Wayne Tuck Jr. 5 5Howard Rajala 4 6Bob Turcotte 4 6Daryl Shane 3 7Rob Dickson 2 8Rob Todd 2 8
Tie breakers Tuck 9-4 Middaugh Lobel 9-8 Tuck
Page Playoffs Howard 4-6 Corner Lobel 7-8 Harris
Semifinal Harris 2-7 Howard
Final Corner 4-9 Howard
Prince Edward Island February 5–10, Crapaud Community Curling Club, Crapaud
Skip Wins LossesJohn Likely 5 2Peter Gallant 5 2Rod MacDonald 5 2Robert Shaw 4 3Kyle Stevenson 4 3Tim Cullen 3 4Ted MacFadyen 2 5Eddie MacKenzie 0 7
Tiebreaker Stevenson 9-6 Shaw
Playoffs 1 vs. 2: Likely 5-6 Gallant 3 vs. 4: Stevenson 10-3 MacDonald Semifinal: Likely 10-5 Stevenson Final: Likely 7-8 Gallant
Quebec February 5–12, Colisée de Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières
Group A Skip Wins LossesMartin Ferland 9 0Ted Butler 6 3François Roberge 5 4Georges Tardif 5 4Serge Reid 5 4Simon Dupuis 5 4Shawn Fowler 4 5Marcel Marchand 3 6Jeff Cheal 3 6Ian Belleau 0 9
Group B Skip Wins LossesJean-Michel Ménard 9 0Daniel Bédard 8 1Robert Desjardins 5 4Jean-Pierre Venne 4 5Dwayne Fowler 4 5René Bouffard 4 5René Lanteigne 4 5Pierre Blanchard 3 6Guy Hemmings 3 6Michael Raby 1 8
Defending champion Pierre Charette is playing third for Hemmings.
Tie breakers Tardif 10-4 Reid Roberge 7-3 Dupuis Roberge 10-2 Tardif
Playoffs A2 vs. B3: Desjardins 5-4 Butler B2 vs. A3: Roberge 9-4 Bédard A1 vs. B1: Ménard 7-5 Ferland Quarter-final: Roberge 7-4 Desjardins Semi-final: Ferland 7-5 Roberge Final: Ménard 7-5 Ferland
Saskatchewan February 6–10, Balgonie Arena, Balgonie. Triple elimination until playoff round.
Skip Wins Losses Randy Bryden 4 0 Pat Simmons 5 1 Darrell McKee 5 2 Joel Jordison 5 2 Monte Armstrong 4 3 Eugene Hritzuk 3 3 Glen Despins 3 3 Brian Humble 3 3 Al Schick 3 3 Mark Herbert 2 3 Carl deConinck Smith 1 3 Gerald Shymko 1 3 Chris Busby 1 3 Derek Boe 1 3 Brent Gedak 0 3 Jamie Schneider 0 3
Playoffs 1 vs. 2: Bryden 4-6 Simmons 3 vs. 4: Jordison 4-10 McKee Semifinal: Bryden 4-6 McKee Final: Simmons 10-5 McKee
Yukon/Northwest Territories February 14–17, Whitehorse Curling Club, Whitehorse. Double round robin. Through five draws.
Skip Wins Losses Chad Cowan 4 2 John Solberg 4 2 Steve Moss 4 2 D'arcy Delorey 0 5
Tiebreakers Solberg d. Moss Cowan 9-8 Solberg
Defending champion Jamie Koe was eliminated in the N.W.T. playdowns.
References
See also 2008 World Men's Curling Championship 2008 World Junior Curling Championships 2008 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship 2008 Ford World Women's Curling Championship 2008 Scotties Tournament of Hearts