Jacobs rink advances to Olympic trials

Sault Ste. Marie’s Brad Jacobs and his team of Ryan Fry, E.J. Harnden and Ryan Harnden claimed the final men’s spot for next month’s Roar of the Rings Canadian Curling Trials in Winnipeg on Sunday.

Trailing 3-2 in the fifth end, the Jacobs rink scored three en route to a 7-5 win over 2006 Olympic champ Brad Gushue to advance at the Capital One Road to the Roar pre-trial that wrapped up Sunday night in Kitchener, Ont.

The defending Brier champion had an earlier opportunity to advance but lost in the A-final to John Morris.

Both Jacobs and Gushue agreed the defending Brier champion has earned the right to compete at the Olympic trials

“We didn't make it directly in and we had to do this the hard way, and I think being defending Brier champions it wouldn't be right if we weren't there, if you think about it,” Jacobs told the Canadian Press following Sunday’s win.

Gushue went as far as to say the Jacobs rink shouldn’t have had to play the game.

“Looking back on it, Brad Jacobs deserves to be in the Olympic trials," Gushue told the Canadian Press. “You know, if anybody was going to beat us and go there, it's good that they did. As Canadian champions, they should be in the trials in my opinion. They shouldn't have had to play this game.”