Throughout the years Canada has been well represented on the international curling stage. In total, Canada has won a whopping 36 world men’s curling championships, 17 world women’s curling titles, and six Olympic gold medals.
With many of the sport’s biggest names having donned the red and white at some point in their career, it’s no easy task to craft a definitive list of the best of all time.
The list of the five greatest team Canada appearances is judged on more than just championship titles. To be considered one of the best of all time, these teams provided some of the most memorable performances in curling history. They are teams that are forever etched in the minds and hearts of Canadian curling fans.
5. Earnie Richardson: 1959, 1960, 1962 World Championships
It makes sense to start the list of best Team Canadas with the first ever world championship winning rink.
The Richardson foursome was comprised of Ernie and brother Garnet (Sam), and their counsins Arnold and Wes Richardson.
Together the Saskatchewan-based rink won three world titles in just four years, an impressive feat even in the early days of international Curling.
At the first ever World Championships in 1959, a five-draw series was held between Canada and hosts Scotland, to determine the title, with the Richardson rink winning handily 5-0.
4. Jennifer Jones: 2018 World Championships
Jennifer Jones arrived at the 2018 World Women’s Curling Championships in North Bay as the best ranked team in the world. Having missed February’s Winter Olympics following a disappointing trials performance, Jones likely felt as though she had a lot to prove in front of the home-crowd.
The Winnipeg-based rink dominated the round-robin, winning all twelve draws, and curling an impressive 85% throughout the week.
The Canadian women received a bye into the semi-finals, where they defeated Jamie Sinclair’s Team USA 9-7, setting up a date in the finals with Anna Hasselborg’s Team Sweden.
The gold-medal game was a tight affair between Canada and Sweden, with Jones’ rink starting things out with three straight blanked ends, followed by a score of two in the fourth.
With the game tied at six after ten ends of play, Jones was able to score a single in the extra-end and take home her second world title, in front of a record crowd at the North Bay Memorial Gardens.
The 2018 World’s also marked the final appearance of the legendary Manitoba foursome, as lead Jill Officer officially retired at the end of the season.
3. Brad Gushue: 2006 Winter Olympics
Newfoundland’s Brad Gushue is currently one of curling’s biggest stars. In the last five years, Team Gushue has won three Brier titles and a World Championship.
Long before winning his first ever national championship in 2017, Gushue made a name for himself after winning gold at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.
At just 25 years of age, Gushue represented the sport’s rising crop of young talent. To get to the ’06 games, the Newfoundland rink defeated some of curling’s biggest names at the 2005 Olympic Trials.
In Turin, Team Canada started the tournament with a 6-3 record in the round-robin, placing second to Markku Uusipaavalniemi’s Team Finland.
In the 2v3 semi-final, Gushue’s rink handily got by Pete Fenson’s Team USA, 11-7, setting up a matchup with David Murdoch’s Team Britain in the final.
In the gold-medal game, Gushue’s squad downed Britain 8-6, to claim Canada’s first-ever Olympic men’s curling title.
Gushue’s gold medal winning performance was one of Canada’s most impressive of the ’06 games, and is still fondly remembered by Canadian curling fans.
2. Kevin Martin: 2010 Olympic Games
Alberta’s Team Kevin Martin arrived at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver with the eyes of the nation on their back’s.
Despite the tremendous amount of pressure that comes with competing in an Olympic Games on home soil, Martin’s rink did not disappoint.
Team Canada started the tournament with an impressive 9-0 performance in the round-robin. After defeating Nicholas Edin’s team Sweden 6-3 in the semi-finals, Martin’s rink met Norway’s Thomas Ulsrud in the gold-medal game.
In front of a jam-packed crowd at the Vancouver Olympic Centre, Martin’s team downed Team Sweden 6-3, to win their first-ever Olympic gold medal.
With their win, Martin’s rink also became the first squad in the ten-team format to go undefeated throughout the tournament, an impressive feat for one of Canada’s most accomplished curlers .
1. Sandra Schmirler: 1998 Winter Olympics
Saskacthewan’s Sandra Schmirler arrived at the ’98 Olympics in Nagano as one of the favourites to win the gold medal.
After winning five Scotties Tournament of Hearts titles, three World Championships, and a legendary performance at the 1997 Olympic trials (featuring “the shot“), Schmirler’s rink was one of the best in the world at the time.
Team Canada opened the tournament with an impressive performance in the round-robin, finishing atop the standings with an 6-1 record. In the semi-finals Schmirler defeated Britain’s Kristy Hay 6-5 to clinch a spot in the gold-medal match.
Schmirler’s rink faced Helena Blach Laverson’s Team Denmark in the finals. After Schmirler opened the game with a score of three-points in the first end, Team Canada proved to be too much for Laverson’s squad, with the Danish rink conceding after the ninth end.
Schmirler’s win marked Canada’s first ever Olympic curling title, and would become one of the highlights of Canada’s performance in Nagano.
Sadly, the win in Nagano marked Schmirler’s last major bonspiel win, as the skip tragically passed away from cancer in 2000.
Honourable Mentions: Kaitlyn Lawes/Johnny Morris (2018 Olympic Mixed Doubles), Jennifer Jones (2014 Winter Olympics), Jeff Stoughton (2011 World Championships), Rachel Homan (2017 World Championships) , Linda Moore (1988 Winter Olympics), Reid Carruthers/Joanne Courtney (2017 World Mixed-Doubles).
Fifth End Break 