WINNIPEG – Mike McEwen and his foursome from the Fort Rouge Curling Club are once again the top seed for next week’s provincial men’s curling championship.
A news conference revealed Wednesday the two-time defending champs Team McEwen would take the number one seed for the third time in seven years. McEwen was also the team to beat in 2011 and 2015.
“We’ve been the number one seed a few other times, so it’s not something that we’re not uncomfortable with.” McEwen’s third B.J. Neufeld said.
“I’d say we’re pretty comfortable with maybe being the team to beat. And I think we all know that being the number one seed, it doesn’t mean a whole lot once the competition gets started.”
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After being voted as the top seed by his fellow curlers the last two years, 2015 provincial champion Reid Carruthers is the second seed this time around among the 32-team field.
“McEwen’s team has definitely earned that number one seed this year.” Carruthers said.
“With the year they had the second half last year, and as well as the run they’ve had, and being one shot away from going to the Olympics. We definitely had them seeded one on our seeding chart.”
Jason Gunnlaugson of the Granite Curling Club is ranked third followed by Pat Simmons (Granite Curling Club), and William Lyburn (Assiniboine Memorial Curling Club) rounds out the top five.
The Viterra Championship begins next Wednesday in Winkler with a champion to be crowned on Sunday.
WATCH: B.J. Neufeld and Reid Carruthers react to this year’s seedings
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