CORNWALL, Ontario – If Mat Camm has his way, the Shorty Jenkins Classic will always be played in the Seaway City.
The Cornwall curler who will play in the World Curling Tour event next week on his home ice, said he’d love to see the event continue here.
“It’s the home field advantage,” he said only half-jokingly in an interview. “It’d be great to see Cornwall hosting it for years to come.”
How likely that will be remains to be seen, but after the Brockville Curling Club failed to correct a malfunctioning compressor in time to continue hosting the event, Cornwall was chosen as a last-minute replacement just a few weeks ago.
It means the likes of curling elite including Brad Gushue (2006 Olympic gold), Sherry Middaugh (silver Canadian Olympic trials), Glenn Howard (multiple Brier champion) and two-time defending champion, as well as Olympic gold medalist (2014) Brad Jacobs will be playing at the Cornwall Curling Club.
“It’s going to be a new experience and we’re open to that,” Jacobs said in a telephone interview from Newfoundland where teams are playing in the Grand Slam of Curling. “I’ve heard the Cornwall facility is phenomenal.”
Jacobs’ rink is likely the team to beat heading into the Shorty, but the competition is fierce otherwise, said Camm.
“The competition will be strong,” he said. “I’ve heard the European teams coming are very good.”
Both men agreed the addition of Jon Wall, a Renfrew native known throughout curling circles as a world-class icemaker, will make any transition to the Cornwall facility easier.
“You expect the conditions to be really good,” said Jacobs. “The Shorty always has a special place in our hearts. It’s the first World Curling Tour event we attended.”
Camm, a third playing on the John Epping rink, said teams will quickly be able to shrug off any concerns about a last-minute change of venue.
“Regardless of the facility we try to bring our best game,” he said. “It will definitely be pretty sweet playing in Cornwall. The Cornwall community has always been supportive of my curling.”
Draw information, ticket prices and more information on the Shorty Jenkins Classic can be found here.
