Rick Sawatsky hopes his seventh time is a charm.
The Kelowna curler will be throwing lead rocks for the Okanagan-based John Morris foursome at the 2017 Brier beginning Saturday in St. John乌鸦传媒檚, N.L.
Sawatsky, like Vernon乌鸦传媒檚 Jim Cotter, will be making his seventh appearance at the Canadian men乌鸦传媒檚 curling championship. Second Tyrel Griffith, from Kelowna, will be playing at the Brier for the fifth time.
乌鸦传媒淭he feeling never gets old,乌鸦传媒� said Sawatsky, who has been a teammate of Cotter乌鸦传媒檚 for all seven B.C. titles. 乌鸦传媒淭o be able to represent the province is a privilege and an honour. I know after we won B.C., Jim (Cotter) and I smiled and just appreciated the fact that we get to go back.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 exciting to be part of it again, and this time we乌鸦传媒檙e going to go and try make the most of it.乌鸦传媒�
The last time the Kelowna-Vernon curlers teamed up with Morris, the B.C. champs came agonizingly close to a Brier title, losing the 2014 Canadian final in Kamloops to Kevin Koe.
Three years later, with Morris skipping and Cotter again throwing last rocks, the Kelowna-Vernon crew has had a solid season on the World Curling Tour, winning one event, finishing second in another and qualifying in several more.
After a few weeks to get reacquainted early in the season, Sawatsky said the Morris-Cotter rink has hit its stride.
乌鸦传媒淕etting back after a hiatus with John, it took a little time for us to come together,乌鸦传媒� Sawatsky said. 乌鸦传媒淏ut once we got comfortable again, everything fell into place pretty well. I think we got stronger with each event we played and hopefully that乌鸦传媒檚 something we can carry with us into (St. John乌鸦传媒檚).乌鸦传媒�
This year乌鸦传媒檚 Brier, as is often the case, is a who乌鸦传媒檚 who of Canadian men乌鸦传媒檚 curling. Defending national champion Kevin Koe, ex-Brier champs Brad Jacobs and Glenn Howard, former Olympic gold medalist and hometown favourite Brad Gushue, and Manitoba乌鸦传媒檚 Mike McEwen are all included in the field. The Morris-Cotter rink has beaten each one of those teams at least once during the season.
As for playing for a Brier championship on The Rock, Sawatsky said the B.C. champs are looking forward to the experience.
乌鸦传媒淚 think it乌鸦传媒檚 going to be pretty fun,乌鸦传媒� Sawatsky said. 乌鸦传媒淲e were (in Newfoundland) last year for a Slam event, the fans were amazing and the atmosphere was top notch. I expect the same kind of excitement this time around.乌鸦传媒�
Still, all hype and pomp of a Brier aside, Sawatsky said his team is in Newfoundland this week with one goal in mind.
乌鸦传媒淲e can just really need to focus on what we can control,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淭he four of us need to go out and have a good week, get to the final and see of we can win it this time. We think we乌鸦传媒檝e got the game and steam do it乌鸦传媒t乌鸦传媒檚 matter of us playing like we we乌鸦传媒檙e capable of.乌鸦传媒�
The B.C. champs will open the 2017 Brier on Saturday against Northern Ontario乌鸦传媒檚 Brad Jacobs.
