The 2013 Tim Horton's Brier might be very special for one of Canada's greatest curlers of all-time.
That is because for the first time Kevin Martin of Edmonton will be curling at a Brier in his home town next month. On Sunday, in a marvelous curling game, Team Martin defeated Team Koe 5-4 in 11 ends in Leduc.
Martin, who was won 12 provincial championships as a skip for Team Alberta, did not represent Alberta when Edmonton hosted the Labatt Brier in 1999 or the Tim Horton's Brier in 2005. Ken Hunka was 5-6 in 1999 and Randy Ferbey won the title eight years ago.
Martin however did win the Canadian Olympic Curling Trials in Edmonton leading up to his Gold medal victory at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.
However even though Martin will be representing Alberta and be the local favourite, he will be in tough against the world champions the last two years in Jeff Stoughton of Winnipeg and Glenn Howard of Ontario. Others to watch this year are 2006 Brier champion, Jean-Michel Menard, who will represent Quebec, 2006 Olympic champion, Brad Gushue who will represent Newfoundland.
Brock Virtue of Saskatchewan is an interesting story. Originally from Lethbridge, Virtue lost in the 2012 Alberta Championship to Kevin Koe and decided to move to Regina.
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