Grand Slam of Curling
After representing Saskatchewan seven times at the Brier, Steve Laycock is now looking to compete for B.C.
The 35-year-old from Saskatoon has joined Jim Cotter’s club based in Vernon and Kelowna, the team announced Wednesday.
Laycock slots in at third with second Tyrel Griffith and lead Rick Sawatsky returning to round out the lineup for next season. Team Laycock, which included fourth Matt Dunstone, second Kirk Muyres and lead Dallan Muyres, announced last month they were parting ways.
Wrote Cotter on his Team Cotter Facebook page: “We are excited to announce the new Team Cotter, curling out of Kelowna and Vernon. Leading us off once again will be Rick Sawatsky. Having Rick back on the sheet means that Tyrel Griffith will move back to a familiar spot, throwing second stones. We are extremely excited to be welcoming Steve Laycock to the rink who will be throwing third. After trying his hand at sweeping, Jim Cotter will be moving back to calling the game and throwing last stones. We are excited to back on the ice this fall for the 2018/19 season, but first, let’s all enjoy some warm weather, if it ever comes.”
Dunstone plans to skip a new Saskatchewan-based team with Braeden Moskowy, Catlin Schneider and Dustin Kidby while the Muyres brothers are sticking together and have connected with another sibling duo, Kevin and Dan Marsh. Laycock skipped Canada to gold at the world junior championship in 2003 and earned bronze at the Brier in 2015.
Cotter threw fourth stones during the past two seasons with Olympic gold medallist John Morris from Canmore, Alta., calling the shots at third and Griffith and Sawatsky up front. They claimed the Princess Auto Elite 10 title in 2017. Schneider joined them late last season at second with Griffith moving over to lead and Sawatsky sticking around as an alternate.
They shuffled the batting order again at November’s Canadian Olympic pre-trials with Morris and Cotter switching spots and the change worked out with the team punching a ticket for the Roar of the Rings. Team Morris struggled in December’s Olympic Trials, with Cotter and Morris reverting to their original positions, and finished out of the playoffs with a 3-5 record.
The team finished runner-up in provincial playdowns without Morris, who was busy competing for Canada at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in mixed doubles with Kaitlyn Lawes and captured a second career gold.
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