Adams returns to Brier after six-year absence

Shawn Adams of Halifax defeated Steve Ogden of Halifax, 7-5 to win the final of the Nova Scotia provincial men’s curling championship at the Dartmouth Curling Club on Sunday, February 6. Adams, who last appeared in the 2005 Tim Hortons Brier in Edmonton, losing the final to Alberta’s Randy Ferbey, 5-4, came from the clouds to win the title. After dropping to the C event in the 16-team triple knockout, Adams defeated Mike Robinson, 4-3 in an extra end to qualify for the final four.

Team Nova Scotia that will be at the 2011 Tim Hortons Brier

He then defeated Peter Burgess of Truro, the other ‘C’ finalist, 6-5 to advance to the semi-final against defending champion Ian Fitzner-LeBlanc. Adams edged Fitzner-LeBlanc, 7-5 to advance to the final against veteran Steve Ogden, who had defeated Fitzner-LeBlanc in the A vs B final, 10-5. Once again, Adams, along with his Mayflower Curling Club teammates Paul Flemming, Andrew Gibson and Kelly Mittelstadt, prevailed, by the same score, 7-5. It will mark the fourth Brier appearance for Adams, the 1993 Canadian junior champion. He skipped Nova Scotia in 2000, 2002 and 2005. Flemming makes his fifth appearance, after skipping in 1998 and 1999, then playing third in 2001 and 2005. Gibson also makes his fifth appearance (2003, 2004, 2006, 2009), the first four with skip Mark Dacey, including 2004, when they won the Brier in Saskatoon then finished third at the Ford Worlds in Gävle, Sweden. Mittelstadt makes only his second Brier appearance, after playing lead for Adams in 2005. Nova Scotia has won three Briers, the inaugural one in 1927 (Murray Macneill), followed in 1951 (Don Oyler) and in 2004 by Mark Dacey.