Fournier carves his way into sweeping party

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This article was published 11/03/2021 (1860 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Michael Fournier was behind the curve on directional sweeping.

Quebec’s jocular skip, 49, says he’s now a firm believer in the sweeping method but didn’t immediately grasp the concept of using just one brusher to help carve out a rock’s path.

“I think we were a little late to the party, honestly. I wasn’t playing with these guys when it started happening. I was with another team. We didn’t catch on as quick as anybody,” Fournier, playing in his second career Brier, said earlier this week. “It’s funny, we were using the Hardline brooms without knowing how to use them and people were accusing us of cheating and we were like, ‘Cheating? I don’t even know what the hell I’m doing.’ It was a weird experience.” 

The great “broomhaha” hit the news six years ago when teams were wielding brooms manufactured by with a head made with a rough-feeling fabric.

In 2016, the sport’s governing bodies ruled all broomheads for sweeping had to have the same colour and type of fabric, produced from a single source.

“Obviously, we got a lot better at it, we had to practice. Everyone had to figure out how to do it. I think everyone understands it’s part of the game,” Fournier said. “So, it’s really quickly engrained itself into how we play now and understanding that the low guy can keep it straight and the outside guy can maybe make it curl at the end.”

The Scotties Tournament of Hearts in late February had its share of uncharacteristic misses, and it’s been a carbon copy at the Brier as curlers lay bare some predictable inconsistency, considering a dearth of preparation time owing to the pandemic.

Directional sweeping has been no panacea but it’s salvaged a number of misfires and probably enhanced shooting percentages across the board.

TV viewers have become well-versed on this method of brushing a stone down the ice, which has been around for about five years now. It’s not unusual to see a lone sweeper hunched over a rock, brushing at a more purposeful angle to influence the curl.

Skips such as Kevin Koe will routinely bark out an order to one of his sweepers if he needs that rock “carved” a certain way.

“For sure, it does make a difference. Not always (as) it depends on the ice surface. The best sweepers are still the best sweepers and you still have to throw it good. This ice has been great to play all week, and it’s not like you can just lob them out and there and sweep to curl and expect to make it. You still gotta be precise,” said the four-time Brier champion.

“It does help you maybe if you need half a centimetre of curl on some shots, so it is a factor, especially if you’ve got good sweeping.”

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Quebec second Felix Asselin said he relishes having the weapon in his front-end arsenal.

“It’s definitely added a layer to the game …it’s good to see out there we’re able to make shots off the sweeping. It gives a nice pat on the back for the front end,” he said, before offering a parting shot at his veteran skip during a Zoom chat with media.

“You guys gotta understand, Mike’s from the corn-broom era.”

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPJasonBell