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For Brad Jacobs, the clarion call of captaincy was impossible to ignore and a return to the familiar role has re-energized the former Brier, world and Olympic champion.

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Jacobs, 39, is back in his familiar role as leader of Team Jacobs this season, but the spark was reignited last year.

“When I took over as Carruthers team captain, this position felt like home,” Jacobs told Postmedia. “I can see myself finishing my career as captain. I love being captain, I enjoy the role and I appreciate how difficult the position is.

The Sault Ste. The Marie-based captain won the Brier in 2013, won a gold medal at the Sochi Olympics and is a seven-time GSOC champion.

After a brief break from high-level curling in early 2022, Jacobs joined Reid Carruthers at third position a year later, before becoming captain in December. With Jacobs at the helm, Carruthers won the Manitoba provincial championship in February.

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Jacobs initially joined the team as a replacement for Jason Gunnlaugson.

When the curling season ended six months ago, Jacobs parted ways with Carruthers and became an in-demand free agent. He wasn’t alone on the dance floor for long as he was courted by three-quarters of the former Alberta-based Bottcher team.

After Brendan Bottcher and his merry band disbanded in mid-April, Jacobs joined second Brent Gallant, third Marc Kennedy and lead Ben Hebert.

“It’s a great challenge for me and a great new challenge with these three guys,” Jacobs said.

Kennedy and Jacobs have a history, as both men were united through a past life as a curler. Featuring EJ Harnden and Ryan Harnden, the team lost to Brad Gushue in the Canadian Olympic Trials final in November 2021. Gallant was third for Gushue at the Saskatoon Trials.

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Fast forward to the current season, the quartet has reached the quarterfinals of three events, but has yet to make it past the final eight.

“We are enjoying our time on and off the ice, and we are learning a lot right now, facing new team challenges and adversity, and that is completely normal,” said Jacobs.

The team lost to Matt Dunstone at the GSOC HearingLife Tour Challenge in Charlottetown earlier this month; against Mike McEwen at the Pointbet Invitational in Calgary on September 28 and lost to Michael Brunner in the quarterfinals of the ATB Classic in Okotoks, Alberta on September 22.

One of the team’s short-term goals is to unseat old rival and Brier champion Brad Gushue, as the quartet hopes to represent Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

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“We feel like we have a strong team of hard-working guys and, so far, the momentum has been amazing,” Jacobs said.

Jacobs and his team withdrew from the Henderson Metal Fall Classic event in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., last weekend after losing their final qualifying game 7-6 to John Epping’s Sudbury, Ont., rink.

Team Dunstone won the event for the second consecutive season, beating Swiss team Hoesli 7-5 in nine ends. Winnipeg-based Dunstone took home a $25,000 salary.

Addition and subtraction

Team Gushue dropped a curling bomb exactly one week before the start of the Henderson Metal Fall Classic event.

On October 10, Gushue sent out a press release announcing that they were parting ways with sophomore EJ Harnden.

“We are grateful for EJ’s unwavering commitment and the tremendous impact he has had on our team,” Gushue said. “We wish him all the best for the future.”

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Five days later, the team announced that Brendan Bottcher was joining the roster. Bottcher’s first event will be the Pancontinental Curling Championship in Lacombe, Alta., at the end of October.

Team Gushue competed in the Sault event and lost to Mike McEwen’s Saskatoon rink in the quarterfinals. Adam Casey took Harnden’s place in second.

In the days following Harnden’s firing, Postmedia contacted the Sault resident via text message. Harnden did not want to elaborate beyond his comment already published in Gushue’s statement.

“It’s been an incredible journey with Team Gushue,” Harnden said. “I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together and I wish Brad, Mark and Geoff all the best.”

When Harnden signed with Gushue in 2022, the plan was to compete with the St. John’s team until Milan Cortina 2026.

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Harden had previously hinted that retirement from competitive curling was a consideration beyond the ’26 Winter Games.

“Things change, but I really look at this as my last four years in the sport of curling at this level, being part of a team where I think we can win now and win in the next four years, or pack all of that and putting my time and effort elsewhere,” Harnden said in a previous interview with Postmedia. “But I still love this sport, and it’s a great opportunity and I want to take full advantage of these next four years and hopefully finish my career with more Canadian championships, another Olympic gold medal and fun and excitement along the way. path.”

Postmedia asked Harnden what his plans were now that competing with Gushue was no longer an option.

“I don’t know what’s next for me yet,” Harnden responded via text message.

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