Mike McEwen (curler)
Michael McEwen | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Top CTRS ranking | 1st (2014–15) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Grand Slam victories | 7 (2010 World Cup, 2011 Canadian Open (Jan.), 2011 Canadian Open (Dec.), 2014 National (Nov.), 2015 Elite 10, 2015 Masters, 2018 Elite 10 (Mar.)) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Michael McEwen (born July 30, 1980 in
Career
Early career
In 1998, McEwen won his first of two Manitoba Junior championships, sending him and his team of David Chalmers, Bryce Granger and Kevin Schmidt to the 1998 Canadian Junior Curling Championships. There, he led his Manitoba rink to 9-3 round robin record, in 2nd place. This put the team in a semifinal match up against Ontario's John Morris. McEwen would lose the match 8–4, settling for third place.[3]
Three years later, McEwen and his new team of Denni Neufeld, Geordie Hargreaves and Nolan Thiessen won the Manitoba junior championships again, qualifying them to represent Manitoba at the 2001 Canadian Juniors. There, they finished in 3rd place after the round robin, with a 9–3 record. This put the team into the semifinals against Northern Ontario's Brian Adams. McEwen beat Adams 8–3, qualifying for the final against Newfoundland's Brad Gushue. McEwen and his Manitoba rink would lose to Gushue, by a score of 8–3, placing them in 2nd place.[4]
In 2003, McEwen and teammates Denni Neufeld, Sheldon Wettig , Marc Kennedy and Nolan Thiessen represented Canada at the 2003 Winter Universiade. McEwen and Wettig represented Brandon University, while his teammates represented the University of Manitoba (Neufeld and Thiessen) and the University of Alberta (Kennedy) . The team finished the round robin with a 6–3 record, in third place. The team then went on to beat Great Britain's Paul Stevenson in the semi-final, then Switzerland's Cyril Stutz in the final, to claim the gold medal.[5]
The following season, McEwen joined the
For the 2006–07 season, Richter and Melnuk left the team and were replaced with Geordie Hargreaves and Adam Guenther. The team disbanded after just one season together.
2007-2010
McEwen formed a new rink once again of brothers
At the conclusion of the 2008–09 season the McEwen team was ranked 7th on the
During the 'Road to the Roar'
McEwen's rink made it to his first provincial final in 2010, when he lost to Jeff Stoughton in the 2010 Manitoba provincial final. The game was being played in Steinbach, Manitoba and as the Neufeld brothers and their father have roots in Steinbach, were treated very much as the home team and crowd favourites.[7]
2010-2015: Grand Slam success and perennial provincial runner-up
McEwen started the 2010–11 season off well by defeating provincial rival Jeff Stoughton to win the World Cup of Curling and his first ever Grand Slam title in November, 2010.
The team continued their strong season that year by defeating provincial rival Stoughton in the semi-final of the 2011 Canadian Open. McEwen would then go on to beat the Glenn Howard team in the extra end of the final, thus winning their second career Grand Slam and their second of that season.[10]
McEwen's rink once again made it to the Manitoba provincial this time, being the top seed (also ranked 1st in Canada). However, once again lost to Stoughton in the final of the
Team McEwen spent the 2014 off season working with a personal trainer, and began spending time with a sports psychologist.
3 Briers and team breakup
Early on in the 2015–16 season, Team McEwen found success by winning the
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/14/Mike_McEwen_Elite_10_003.jpg/250px-Mike_McEwen_Elite_10_003.jpg)
In 2017 McEwen would defend his Manitoba Championship by beating Reid Carruthers in the final of the 2017 Viterra Championship. At the 2017 Tim Hortons Brier, he would then better his 2016 Brier showing, going 9–2 in the round robin to enter the playoffs in 1st place and with hammer and choice of rocks (Brad Gushue would also be 9-2 but would lose 1st place due to losing his round robin meeting with Mike). He would fall 7–5 to Brad Gushue in the 1–2 game however. In the semi-finals against reigning Brier and World Champion Kevin Koe he was in control almost the whole way but up 5–3 with hammer in the 8th end Koe would make an incredible comeback with a steal in the 8th, a two in the 10th, and another steal in the extra end, dropping Mike to the bronze medal game. Mike would recover from this disappointment to win his first Brier medal, defeating Brad Jacobs in their rematch of the 2016 bronze medal game, 7–6 in an extra end. On the tour that season, the team won just two events, the 2016 DeKalb Superspiel and the 2017 Ed Werenich Golden Wrench Classic. The team won the Golden Wrench Classic the following year as well.
While competing at the 2018 Viterra Championship McEwen came down with chickenpox and was unable to play after the first game. B. J. Neufeld skipped the team, until a surprise appearance by McEwen in the final where they would lose to Carruthers.[16] Despite the setback, McEwen still had a chance to qualify for the 2018 Tim Hortons Brier through the wildcard game, which he won over Jason Gunnlaugson. McEwen had a difficult Brier and alongside Carruthers was unable to qualify for the playoffs.[17] Following the disappointment at the Brier the McEwen team announced they would be breaking up at the end of the 2017–18 season.[18] Just days after the announcement the McEwen team won the 2018 Elite 10 Grand Slam of Curling event, winning the top $28,000 prize money, and was the first team to go through the entire event undefeated.[19] The Grand Slam victory was the team's seventh overall. Shortly after the event it was announced that McEwen would join his friend, Reid Carruthers, on his team throwing the fourth rocks, while Carruthers would continue to skip the team.[20][21]
Joining Carruthers
After joining the Carruthers team with
Team McEwen had a more successful following season. On the tour, they never missed the playoffs and they won one event, the inaugural WCT Uiseong International Curling Cup. In Grand Slam play, they reached the quarterfinals of the Tour Challenge and the National and the semifinals of the Canadian Open. They would not defend their provincial title, losing the final of the 2020 Viterra Championship to Jason Gunnlaugson. They would still compete at the 2020 Tim Hortons Brier though, winning the Wild Card spot over Glenn Howard in the play-in game. Team McEwen finished the round robin and championship pool with a 7–4 record, which was a four-way tie for fourth. They faced John Epping in the first round of tiebreakers where they lost 8–5 and were eliminated. It would be the team's last event of the season as both the Players' Championship and the Champions Cup Grand Slam events were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[22]
In their lone tour event of the
Personal
McEwen's wife is Dawn McEwen (Askin) the former lead for Jennifer Jones.[29] He met his wife while billeting with her family in Ottawa for bonspiels in the late 1990s.[30] They have two daughters, Vienna and Avalon.[31] McEwen attended Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School and Brandon University. McEwen is employed as a sales representative as an entrepreneur.[32]
Grand Slam record
Key | |
---|---|
C | Champion |
F | Lost in Final |
SF | Lost in Semifinal |
QF | Lost in Quarterfinals |
R16 | Lost in the round of 16 |
Q | Did not advance to playoffs |
T2 | Played in Tier 2 event |
DNP | Did not participate in event |
N/A | Not a Grand Slam event that season |
Event | 2005–06 | 2006–07 | 2007–08 | 2008–09 | 2009–10 | 2010–11 | 2011–12 | 2012–13 | 2013–14 | 2014–15 | 2015–16 | 2016–17 | 2017–18 | 2018–19 | 2019–20 | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 | 2023–24 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tour Challenge | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | SF | QF | DNP | Q | QF | N/A | N/A | T2 | T2 |
The National | DNP | DNP | DNP | QF | QF | QF | Q | F | QF | C | Q | Q | SF | Q | QF | N/A | Q | Q | DNP |
Masters | Q | DNP | DNP | Q | DNP | C | QF | QF
|
Q
|
F | C | QF | SF | Q | Q | N/A | Q | DNP | Q |
Canadian Open | DNP | DNP | DNP | SF | QF | C | C | SF | Q | QF | Q
|
QF | QF | Q | SF | N/A | N/A | DNP | Q |
Players' | DNP | DNP | Q | SF | Q | QF | SF | F | SF | F | SF | F | SF | Q | N/A | DNP | QF | DNP | SF |
Champions Cup | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | SF | QF | QF | Q
|
N/A | DNP | DNP | DNP | N/A |
Elite 10 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | C | QF | DNP | C | F | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Teams
Season | Skip | Third | Second | Lead |
---|---|---|---|---|
2000–01 | Mike McEwen | Denni Neufeld | Geordie Hargreaves | Nolan Thiessen |
2001–02[33] | Mike McEwen | Kevin Cooley | Geordie Hargreaves | Don Grainger |
2002–03 | Mike McEwen | Kevin Cooley | Geordie Hargreaves | Don Grainger |
2003–04 | James Kirkness | Mike McEwen | Ross McFadyen | A. J. Girardin |
2004–05 | James Kirkness | Mike McEwen | Ross McFadyen | A. J. Girardin |
2005–06 | Mike McEwen | Justin Richter | Matt Wozniak | Andrew Melnuk |
2006–07 | Mike McEwen | Matt Wozniak | Geordie Hargreaves | Adam Guenther |
2007–08 | Mike McEwen | Matt Wozniak | B. J. Neufeld | Denni Neufeld |
2008–09 | Mike McEwen | B. J. Neufeld | Matt Wozniak | Denni Neufeld |
2009–10 | Mike McEwen | B. J. Neufeld | Matt Wozniak | Denni Neufeld |
2010–11 | Mike McEwen | B. J. Neufeld | Matt Wozniak | Denni Neufeld |
2011–12 | Mike McEwen | B. J. Neufeld | Matt Wozniak | Denni Neufeld |
2012–13 | Mike McEwen | B. J. Neufeld | Matt Wozniak | Denni Neufeld |
2013–14 | Mike McEwen | B. J. Neufeld | Matt Wozniak | Denni Neufeld |
2014–15 | Mike McEwen | B. J. Neufeld | Matt Wozniak | Denni Neufeld |
2015–16 | Mike McEwen | B. J. Neufeld | Matt Wozniak | Denni Neufeld |
2016–17 | Mike McEwen | B. J. Neufeld | Matt Wozniak | Denni Neufeld |
2017–18 | Mike McEwen | B. J. Neufeld | Matt Wozniak | Denni Neufeld |
2018–19 | Mike McEwen (Fourth) | Reid Carruthers (Skip) | Derek Samagalski | Colin Hodgson |
2019–20 | Mike McEwen | Reid Carruthers | Derek Samagalski | Colin Hodgson |
2020–21 | Mike McEwen | Reid Carruthers | Derek Samagalski | Colin Hodgson |
2021–22 | Mike McEwen | Reid Carruthers | Derek Samagalski | Colin Hodgson |
2022–23 | Mike McEwen | Ryan Fry | Brent Laing | Jonathan Beuk (until Jan.) Joey Hart (from Jan.)[34] |
2023–24 | Mike McEwen | Colton Flasch | Kevin Marsh | Dan Marsh |
References
- ^ "No magic required!". Curling Canada.
- ^ Paul Wiecek (March 7, 2016). "Team of 'tuckers'". Winnipeg Free Press.
- ^ {1998 Karcher Juniors. Team and Player Identification
- ^ Team and player identification
- Canadian Interuniversity Sport. 19 January 2009. Archived from the originalon 5 June 2011. Retrieved 2010-02-02.
- CCA. 14 November 2009. Archived from the originalon 23 March 2012. Retrieved 2010-11-07.
- ^ Gary Lawless (13 February 2010). "McEwen advances to first Safeway Championship final". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved 2010-11-07.
- ^ Doug Harrison (7 November 2010). "McEwen wins 1st Grand Slam of Curling". CBC News. CBC Sports. Retrieved 2010-02-13.
- ^ "Man. athletes, teams up for honours". CBC News. 8 December 2010. Retrieved 2010-12-10.
- ^ "McEwen wins Canadian Open curling event". CBC. 30 January 2011. Retrieved 2011-01-30.
- ^ Paul Wiecek (14 February 2011). "Hoping to party like it's 1999". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
- ^ Paul Wiecek (February 13, 2012). "A new and worthy champion". Winnipeg Free Press.
- ^ Jeff MacKinnon (25 November 2014). "On the Rocks: Dominant Mike McEwen believes he can be even better". Calgary Herald. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
- ^ John Cullen (6 May 2024). "Transcript: Broomgate, Episode 2". CBC (Podcast). Retrieved 8 May 2024.
- ^ Paul Wiecek (February 14, 2016). "Manitoba skip McEwen headed to the Brier". Winnipeg Free Press.
- ^ Jason Bell (February 4, 2018). "Carruthers defeats McEwen in championship final". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved 2018-03-18.
- ^ Jason Bell (March 9, 2018). "McEwen, Carruthers come up short, miss Brier playoffs". Winnipeg Free Press.
- ^ "Disbanding of Mike McEwen's team among sweeping changes in Canadian curling after Olympics". CBC News. March 14, 2018.
- ^ Jason Bell (March 18, 2018). "Mike McEwen clinches Elite 10 bonspiel title". Winnipeg Free Press.
- ^ Jason Bell (March 20, 2018). "Carruthers, McEwen call truce, join forces to create curling powerhouse". Winnipeg Free Press.
- ^ "Curling carousel continues as Koe, Carruthers make changes". CBC Sports. March 20, 2018.
- ^ "GSOC cancels remaining events of 2019–20 season". Grand Slam of Curling. March 13, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
- ^ "McEwen beats Howard to win Ashley HomeStore Curling Classic". TSN. November 15, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
- ^ Devin Heroux (December 21, 2020). "Ontario, Manitoba cancel playdowns for Scotties, Brier". CBC Sports. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
- ^ "Three wild-card teams added to Scotties, Brier". TSN. January 13, 2021. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
- ^ "2019–20 CTRS Standings". Curling Canada. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
- ^ "Wild Card teams set!". Curling Canada. February 1, 2021. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
- ^ "2021 Tim Hortons Brier: Scores, schedule, standings". Sportsnet. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
- CTV News. 9 November 2009. Retrieved 2010-02-02.
- ^ Gord Holder (February 14, 2016). "McEwen finally Brier bound: Manitoba skip ends years of heartbreak, securing berth in Ottawa". Ottawa Citizen.
- ^ "2021 Canadian Olympic Curling Trials Media Guide" (PDF). Curling Canada. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
- ^ "2024 Montana's Brier Media Guide" (PDF). Curling Canada. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
- ^ "Young Turk holds own". Winnipeg Sun. September 10, 2002. p. 25. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
- ^ "Hart father-son duo joining Team McEwen for Ontario Tankard". TSN. January 18, 2023. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
External links
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