Measurements making a difference at Brier

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This article was published 03/03/2019 (2609 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BRANDON — Measurements are back in the curling news.

Last month, controversy arose when an Alberta curling official did a less-than-thorough job of measuring rocks between Brendan Bottcher and Kevin Koe in the provincial semifinal. Koe was awarded a steal of one in the fifth end for a 3-1 lead, en route to an eventual 7-5 win.

This weekend, Team Canada came out on the favourable end — just barely — of a couple of measures at the 2019 Brier using the long, metal sticks that have been used by officials for generations. The contraptions are on standby at all Curling Canada championship, while a more intricate laser has been tested out at some Grand Slam events.

Mark Nichols, third on the Brad Gushue foursome, said he wouldn’t be surprised if to see the laser device phased into the game at provincial and national championships.

“You can’t just bring it in randomly, it has to be tested out. But I’m sure it’s down the road. If the technology’s there and it works, then I have no problems with it,” said Nichols.

On Sunday afternoon, the two-time defending champions scored a single after a measurement in a game with Jamie Koe of Northwest Territories to lead 4-3 after six ends, eventually posting a 7-5 win.

Gushue benefitted from a rare tie after a measurement in the seventh end Saturday night. Ontarios skip Scott McDonald’s tap back left him counting one with the possibility of two. However, after no fewer than five measures of a second shot rock, a tie was declared and Ontario had to settle for the single and a 5-5 tie. Gushue went on to a slim 7-6 victory.

“Everybody said it was dead even. On TV it looked like once it was us and then they went back and it looked like it was even, so I felt pretty confident it wasn’t gonna go there,” said Gushue. “I was certainly happy with a tie.

“It made for good TV. A laser works faster.”

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Turns out the occurrence of a pair of rocks too close isn’t as rare as a Halley’s Comet sighting.

“For 23 years I would have said it was like a hole-in-one or an eight-ender,” Gushue said. “It was extremely rare. But we’ve had three in the last two or three years.”

The squad from St. John’s N.L., had one of its rocks tied with a Reid Carruthers stone last year at the Elite 10 event in Winnipeg.

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPJasonBell