Manitoba was the medicine for Jacobs

STEINBACH — The road back to the Olympics involved an important pit stop in Manitoba for Brad Jacobs.

The longtime Northern Ontario skip was burnt out and started the quadrennial by taking a break from the sport. In fact, when the 2021-22 Grand Slam season ended, Jacobs wasn’t so sure if he’d ever commit to a full-time schedule again.

Then, a few months later, he got a phone call from one of Manitoba’s most decorated curlers: Reid Carruthers.

After parting ways with third Jason Gunnlaugson, Carruthers was in a jam and called up Jacobs to see if he’d be open to sparing at the remaining Grand Slam events on the schedule.

It wasn’t a major commitment, plus, Jacobs considered Carruthers one of his favourite guys on tour, so he was happy to help out.

Jacobs quickly gelled with Carruthers, Derek Samagalski and Connor Njegovan and, by the following season, the Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., product was all in and officially signed on to join the team at third.

“Playing third gave me a different perspective on the game. It was my first time playing with a few different guys in many, many years. All of that was good for me,” said Jacobs, 40, at the Grand Slam of Curling’s Players’ Championship in Steinbach.

“I think that little bit of change was something that I needed and it had a positive impact on my life. And getting to do that with some guys from Manitoba who are veterans, very seasoned, and know a lot about curling was very advantageous for me.”

After an up and down start to the year, Jacobs took over at skip and helped the group claim the 2024 provincial title with a 6-3 win over Carberry’s Braden Calvert in Stonewall.

“Playing with Reid, Connor and Derek and having Rob (Meakin) as our coach was a lot of fun for me. Playing in that provincial championship and winning a purple heart out of Manitoba is something I cherish for sure. I have it at home in the trophy room, I’ll never forget that,” said Jacobs.

“And wearing the Manitoba colours at the Brier was really special for me, it was awesome. It’s the neighbour province to Northern Ontario, it’s not far from where I come from so I think the people are similar. And certainly, playing with Reid, Connor and Derek I learned a lot and it helped bring me to the next level with this team.”

At that year’s Brier in Regina, they topped Pool A with a 7-1 record but fell short in the championship round with back-to-back losses. It was the first and last time Jacobs played with a Buffalo on his back as he moved on in the off-season to play out of Alberta with Marc Kennedy, Brett Gallant and Ben Hebert.

It proved to be a wise decision.

They captured the 2025 Brier and, most recently, the Canadian Curling Trials in Halifax in November to earn the right to represent Canada at next month’s Olympics in Italy.

Jacobs, the 2014 Olympic champion, has a chance to become the first Canadian to win a second gold medal in four-person curling. For that to happen, he’ll need to get off to a better start than the one he’s having in Steinbach.

After dropping a 6-3 result to Scotland’s Ross Whyte on Tuesday, Jacobs fell 5-4 to Joel Retornaz of Italy early Wednesday to slide to 0-2. Jacobs will try to get back on track Thursday at 8:30 a.m. against Scotland’s Kyle Waddell.

Canada’s Olympic representative can’t afford to lose again as the top three teams from the two pools of six advance to the playoffs. Out of the 24 teams competing in Steinbach between the men’s and women’s draws, 13 of them are going to the Olympics.

“This is a much tougher field than the field we experienced in 2014. So we know it’s gong to be difficult, that’s the way it should be,” said Jacobs.

“The nice thing is if we were to podium or win in Italy being how hard it is, it just makes it that much sweeter.”

TIRINZONI GOING FOR GOLD

Switzerland’s Silvana Tirinzoni is one of the most decorated curlers to have ever stepped on the ice.

The 46-year-old has made it to the final of the last six world championships and has four gold medals to show for it.

The only thing she hasn’t accomplished in her career? A medal at the Olympics. Next month will be Tirinzoni’s third and final appearance on the big stage when she competes alongside Alina Patz, Carole Howald and Selina Witschonke.

“If we finish it with a medal, or if I can finally win that Olympic gold that would be amazing, but even if that’s not the case, I’m going to look back on an amazing career,” said Tirinzoni inside the Southeast Event Centre in Steinbach.

“The fire is still burning inside of me, so, anything is possible.”

Despite everything her Swiss group has accomplished, the world knows Canada’s Rachel Homan remains the favourite. Homan knocked off Tirinzoni in the past two world championship finals.

“That’s OK, I guess. We know what we’re capable of, but we also know how good Team Homan is,” said Tirinzoni. “And then there are eight other teams who are fighting for medals. It’s going to be an unbelievably tough field and I think everyone can beat everyone, and I really mean that.”

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