The 1981 Labatt Brier, the Canadian men's curling championship was held from March 1 to 8, 1981 at the Halifax Metro Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The total attendance for the week was 67,257.
Team Manitoba, who was skipped by Kerry Burtnyk won the Brier tankard as they defeated Northern Ontario, skipped by Al Hackner in the final 5–4. Manitoba advanced to the final after beating Saskatchewan in the semifinal 5–4. This was Manitoba's twenty-first Brier championship and the first of two skipped by Burtnyk. At 22 years, 3 months, and 15 days, Burtnyk became the youngest skip to ever win a Brier surpassing Hec Gervais' record by nearly five years when he won the .
The Burtynk rink would go onto represent Canada in the 1981 Air Canada Silver Broom, the men's world curling championship on home soil in London, Ontario where they lost in the semifinal to eventual champion Switzerland.
The event set a record for the most extra end games in a single Brier as fourteen games went to an extra end breaking the record of eleven set in . This remains a record and would only be matched in .
Teams The teams were listed as follows: British ColumbiaManitobaFairview CC, Fairview Skip: Mel Watchorn Third: Jim Fox Second: Terry Watchorn Lead: Merv WatchornKamloops CC, Kamloops Skip: Barry McPhee Third: Robert Kuroyama Second: Brian Eden Lead: Grant YoungAssiniboine Memorial CC, Winnipeg Skip: Kerry Burtnyk Third: Mark Olson Second: Jim Spencer Lead: Ron KammerlockNew BrunswickNewfoundlandNorthern OntarioBeaver CC, Moncton Fourth: Tony Richardson Third: Bruce Forster Second: Gord Johnson Skip: Don MixSt. John's CC, St. John's Skip: Toby McDonald Third: Jim Miller Second: John Allan Lead: Neil YoungFort William CC, Thunder Bay Skip: Al Hackner Third: Rick Lang Second: Bob Nicol Lead: Bruce KennedyNova ScotiaOntarioPrince Edward IslandDartmouth CC, Dartmouth Skip: Alan Darragh Third: Tom Fetterly Second: Michael Currie Lead: Brent CotterAvonlea CC, Don Mills Skip: Ed Werenich Third: Bob Widdis Second: Neil Harrison Lead: Jim McGrathCharlottetown CC, Charlottetown Skip: Peter MacDonald Third: Bobby Carruthers Second: Alexander Stewart Lead: Rod MacDonaldQuebecSaskatchewanYukon/Northwest TerritoriesHowick CC, Howick Skip: Brian Ness Third: Karl Murovic Second: Roy Weigand Lead: Robert CarterAssiniboia CC, Assiniboia Skip: Bob Ellert Third: Don Bushell Second: Ken Berner Lead: Bill WilsonWhitehorse CC, Whitehorse Skip: Chuck Haines Third: Gordon Gee Second: Lyle Sieg Lead: John Russell
Map of teams
Round-robin standings Final Round Robin standings KeyTeams to PlayoffsTeams to Tiebreakers ProvinceSkip Al Hackner 9 2 81 63 50 40 8 15 77% Kerry Burtnyk 8 3 71 44 46 37 11 8 80% Ed Werenich 7 4 73 59 51 43 7 18 75% Bob Ellert 7 4 66 58 45 40 8 10 73% Barry McPhee 7 4 81 72 48 46 5 12 72% Brian Ness 6 5 61 58 45 39 9 14 75% Mel Watchorn 5 6 69 60 47 46 3 11 75% Peter MacDonald 4 7 56 69 41 47 13 9 71% Chuck Haines 4 7 50 71 37 50 8 4 70% Don Mix 3 8 53 69 39 50 13 2 71% Toby McDonald 3 8 55 70 41 45 11 11 73% Alan Darragh 3 8 56 79 43 50 4 10 69%
Round-robin results All draw times are listed in Atlantic Standard Time (UTC-04:00).
Draw 1 Sunday, March 1, 2:00 pm
Draw 2 Sunday, March 1, 8:00 pm
Draw 3 Monday, March 2, 9:30 am
Draw 4 Monday, March 2, 2:30 pm
Draw 5 Monday, March 2, 8:00 pm
Draw 6 Tuesday, March 3, 9:30 am
Draw 7 Tuesday, March 3, 2:30 pm
Draw 8 Tuesday, March 3, 8:00 pm
Draw 9 Wednesday, March 4, 9:30 am
Draw 10 Wednesday, March 4, 2:30 pm
Draw 11 Wednesday, March 4, 8:00 pm
Draw 12 Thursday, March 5, 2:30 pm
Draw 13 Thursday, March 5, 8:00 pm
Draw 14 Friday, March 6, 9:30 am
Draw 15 Friday, March 6, 2:30 pm
Tiebreakers Ontario was awarded the bye into the second tiebreaker round based on head-to-head victories over both British Columbia and Saskatchewan in the round robin.
Round 1 Friday, March 6, 8:00 pm
Round 2 Saturday, March 7, 9:30 am
Playoffs
Semifinal Saturday, March 7, 3:30 pm
Final Sunday, March 8, 3:00 pm
Statistics Top 5 player percentages Final Round Robin Percentages KeyAll-Star Team Leads % Ron Kammerlock 81 Jim McGrath 80 Bruce Kennedy 79 Neil Young 77 Rod MacDonald 76 Seconds % Roy Weigand 79 Jim Spencer 78 Bob Nicol 76 Terry Watchorn 75 Ken Berner 75 Thirds % Mark Olson 81 Rick Lang 76 Jim Miller 75 Jim Fox 75 Karl Murovic 75 Skips % Kerry Burtnyk 78 Al Hackner 77 Mel Watchorn 74 Barry McPhee 73 Ed Werenich 73
Awards All-Star Team The media selected the following curlers as All-Stars.
Position Name Team Skip Al Hackner Third Mark Olson Second Roy Weigand Lead Jim McGrath
Ross G.L. Harstone Award The Ross Harstone Award was presented to the player chosen by their fellow peers as the curler who best represented Harstone's high ideals of good sportsmanship, observance of the rules, exemplary conduct and curling ability.
Alberta skip, Mel Watchorn became the first player to win the Harstone Award twice after previously winning the award in .
Name Team Position Mel Watchorn (2) Skip
External links Final on YouTube
References