The 1980 Labatt Brier, the Canadian men's curling championship was held from March 2 to 9, 1980 at the Stampede Corral in Calgary, Alberta. For the third consecutive year, the Brier set a then-record as the total attendance for the week was 93,185. This was the first Brier to be sponsored by the Labatt Brewing Company replacing the Macdonald Tobacco Company, who sponsored the Brier since the inaugural event in as the primary sponsor.
With a new sponsor came several changes to the Brier to make it more fan friendly such as a ban on smoking, a baseball-type scoreboard replacing the curling club-style scoreboard, and official umpires. The two biggest changes however were a three-team playoff after round robin play would determine the Brier champion with the top team in round robin play receiving a direct bye into the final and a new, shiny Labatt Tankard trophy replaced the old Macdonald Tankard trophy.
Team Saskatchewan, who was skipped by Rick Folk captured the Brier tankard after they defeated Northern Ontario in the final 10–6. It was the last time a team using corn brooms won the Brier.
Northern Ontario advanced to the final after they defeated Alberta in the semifinal 6–5.
This was the seventh and as of , most recent Brier championship for Saskatchewan and the first of two won by Folk, with his other coming in with British Columbia. The Folk rink would go onto represent Canada in the 1980 Air Canada Silver Broom, the men's world curling championship on home soil in Moncton, New Brunswick where they won Canada's first world championship since 1972.
Teams The teams were listed as follows: British ColumbiaManitobaCalgary WC, Calgary Skip: Paul Gowsell Third: Neil Houston Second: Glen Jackson Lead: Kelly StearneVictoria CC, Victoria Skip: Tim Horrigan Third: Lowell Goulden Second: Kelly Horrigan Lead: David SmithCFB Winnipeg CC, Winnipeg Skip: Earle Morris Third: Clare DeBlonde Second: Garry DeBlonde Lead: Winston WarrenNew BrunswickNewfoundlandNorthern OntarioThistle St. Andrews CC, Saint John Skip: Richard Belyea Third: Don Pennell Second: Wade Blanchard Lead: Brian McLeodSt. John's CC, St. John's Skip: Wayne Hamilton Third: Lew Andrews Second: Paul Hamilton Lead: Colin JamesFort William CC, Thunder Bay Skip: Al Hackner Third: Rick Lang Second: Bob Nicol Lead: Bruce KennedyNova ScotiaOntarioPrince Edward IslandDartmouth CC, Dartmouth Skip: Peter Hope Third: Peter MacPhee Second: Gary Clarke Lead: Donald MacLeodPenetang CC, Penetanguishene Skip: Russ Howard Third: Larry Merkley Second: Robert Rushton Lead: Kent CarstairsCrapaud Community CC, Crapaud Skip: Ted MacFadyen Third: Bill MacFadyen Second: Mike Coady Lead: Gord HermannQuebecSaskatchewanNorthwest Territories/YukonSt. Laurent CC, Mount Royal Skip: Jim Ursel Third: Don Aitken Second: Lawren Steventon Lead: Malcolm TurnerNutana CC, Saskatoon Skip: Rick Folk Third: Ron Mills Second: Tom Wilson Lead: Jim WilsonYellowknife CC, Yellowknife Skip: Al Delmage Third: Bill Strain Second: Roy Giles Lead: Ron Kapicki
Map of teams
Round robin standings Final Round Robin standings KeyTeams to Playoffs ProvinceSkip Rick Folk 9 2 69 50 46 38 6 14 78% Al Hackner 8 3 90 67 54 45 4 20 72% Paul Gowsell 8 3 66 54 43 41 8 11 75% Jim Ursel 7 4 72 63 46 43 5 14 73% Earle Morris 6 5 74 72 47 47 4 15 71% Al Delmage 5 6 63 66 42 43 8 14 70% Russ Howard 5 6 65 68 44 43 11 12 70% Tim Horrigan 5 6 65 70 45 46 7 12 71% Ted MacFadyen 4 7 57 73 45 47 10 12 67% Richard Belyea 3 8 55 65 39 48 10 7 67% Wayne Hamilton 3 8 62 75 40 52 14 8 72% Peter Hope 3 8 66 81 47 45 4 11 69%
Round robin results All draw times are listed in Mountain Standard Time (UTC-07:00).
Draw 1 Sunday, March 2, 2:00 pm
Draw 2 Sunday, March 2, 7:30 pm
Draw 3 Monday, March 3, 9:00 am
Draw 4 Monday, March 3, 1:30 pm
Draw 5 Monday, March 3, 7:30 pm
Draw 6 Tuesday, March 4, 9:00 am
Draw 7 Tuesday, March 4, 1:30 pm
Draw 8 Tuesday, March 4, 7:30 pm
Draw 9 Wednesday, March 5, 9:00 am
Draw 10 Wednesday, March 5, 1:30 pm
Draw 11 Wednesday, March 5, 7:30 pm
Draw 12 Thursday, March 6, 1:30 pm
Draw 13 Thursday, March 6, 7:30 pm
Draw 14 Friday, March 7, 9:00 am
Draw 15 Friday, March 7, 1:30 pm
Playoffs Source:
Semifinal Saturday, March 8, 12:30 pm
Final Sunday, March 9, 12:00 pm
Statistics Top 5 player percentages Final Round Robin Percentages KeyAll-Star Team Leads % Jim Wilson 83 Kelly Stearne 76 Ron Kapicki 75 Winston Warren 75 David Smith 74 Colin James 74 Seconds % Tom Wilson 81 Glen Jackson 76 Paul Hamilton 75 Lawren Steventon 75 Roy Giles 75 Thirds % Neil Houston 76 Ron Mills 76 Lowell Goulden 74 Rick Lang 71 Don Aitken 71 Skips % Rick Folk 74 Paul Gowsell 74 Jim Ursel 72 Al Hackner 71 Russ Howard 71
Awards All-Star Team The media selected the following curlers as All-Stars.
Position Name Team Skip Rick Folk (2) Third Neil Houston Second Tom Wilson Lead Jim Wilson
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.
Name Team Position Wayne Hamilton Skip
References
External links Semi-final on YouTube