Canadian Olympic gold medalist Brad Jacobs of Sault. Ste. Marie, Ontario will be skipping a new team based out of Alberta starting in the 2024-25 curling season. The team will include Canadian Olympic gold medalists Marc Kennedy of St. Albert, Alberta, and Ben Hebert of Calgary, Alberta, along with Brett Gallant of Calgary, Alberta. Kennedy, a third, and Hebert, a lead curled with Kevin Martin at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. Jacobs won a gold medal for Canada at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi.
The fact that Kennedy, Hebert and Gallant parted ways with skip Brendan Bottcher of Spruce Grove, Alberta rocked the curling world on Tuesday. The announcement was a major surprise and it was believed it would be just a matter of time before a high-profile curler took over as skip. Jacobs was their choice. It should be noted that Kennedy and Hebert plan to retire after the 2025-26 curling season.
Jacobs had skipped a team out of Manitoba last season, and now he will be skipping a team out of Alberta. Last year Jacobs was with third Reid Carruthers, second Derek Samagalski and lead Connor Njegovan. At the 2024 Montana’s Brier in Regina, Bottcher reached the semifinal before losing to Saskatchewan’s Mike McEwen 7-3. Jacobs meanwhile lost 6-2 to Matt Dunstone of Manitoba in the 3-4 qualifier in the championship round. In addition to winning Olympic gold in 2014, Jacobs won the 2013 Brier in Edmonton.
