Nunavut won its first ever game in Brier history on Saturday. At the 2023 Tim Horton’s Brier from the Budweiser Gardens from London, Ontario, Nunavut defeated Newfoundland and Labrador by a score of 7-4.
The Nunavut team comprised of skip Jake Higgs, third Sheldon Wittig, second Brady St. Louis and lead Christian Smitheram. The team represents the Iqaluit Curling Club. According to Ed Klajman of the Nunatsiaq News, Nunavut won in their 45th game in the territory’s history of the Canadian National Men’s Curling Championship. (Those games include the 38 losses at the Brier and the six prior losses in the qualifying tournaments held in 2016 and 2017).
It was in the final three ends where Nunavut was the most impressive. With the game tied at four points apiece, Nunavut took a 5-4 lead after eight ends, and then stole a single point in the ninth and 10th ends.
In another intriguing battle on Saturday, Northern Ontario defeated the second Wildcard team skipped by Reid Carruthers of Winnipeg, Manitoba 6-4. This is a new team created in Northern Ontario, with Tanner Horgan of Sudbury throwing fourth stones, and Darren Moulding throwing third stones and skipping. Tanner’s brother Jake is on the front end with Colin Hodgson, who has announced this will be his final season of competitive curling due to retirement plans.
