Jason Gunnlaugson

Jason Gunnlaugson
Curler
Jason Gunnlaugson skips his team in 2018.
Born (1984-07-02) July 2, 1984
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Team
Curling club Granite CC,
Winnipeg, MB
Skip Jason Gunnlaugson
Third Alex Forrest
Second Denni Neufeld
Lead Connor Njegovan
Alternate Justin Richter
Career
Brier appearances 0
Top CTRS ranking 6th (2017–18)
Medal record
Men's curling
Representing  British Columbia
Canadian Olympic Curling Trials
2013 Winnipeg
Representing Moscow Moscow
Russian Men's Curling Cup
2010 Tver

Jason Gunnlaugson is a Canadian curler currently living in Winnipeg, Manitoba.[1]

Gunnlaugson is known for having been hired by the Russian Curling Federation (RCF) to represent the country at the 2014 Winter Olympics.[2] The deal which was announced in April 2010 fell through in November that year, when the Gunnlaugson team was fired by the RCF.[3]

Career

Prior to his deal to play for Russia, Gunnlaugson had skipped his team out of Beausejour, Manitoba. In 2009, Gunnlaugson took over the reins of Daley Peters's team when Peters left the team to curl with his father Vic Peters. Gunnlaugson had been a member of the Peters team solely for the 2008-09 season, prior to that he had played third on the Reid Carruthers team.

Gunnlaugson acquired a berth at the 2009 Olympic Pre-Trials through his CTRS ranking from September 2007 to April 2009, highest of teams not already qualified.[4] Most of those points were acquired earlier as part of the Reid Carruthers team, the Gunnlaugson team was the last team to qualify for the pre-trials. The four-some surprised many by being one of the four teams to qualify for the main Olympic trials, defeating Mike McEwen with the last rock in the extra end of the 'C' Final.[5] However, at the trials, the team finished winless, with an 0-7 record.

Coming from curling strong Manitoba, Gunnlaugson has to date been unable to win the Viterra Provincial Championships to play in the Brier thus far in his career. However, he did play second for Manitoba (skipped by Carruthers) at the 2008 Canadian Mixed Curling Championship.

Gunnlaugson is well known in the curling community for his up weight peel shots. He is able to throw a rock with a 4-second peel (time measured from hogline to hogline). Some of his shots were captured on YouTube from the 2008 Canadian Mixed Tournament. His female team mates were unable to keep up with the speed of the rock. YouTube Video

Joining the Russians

On April 28, 2010 Jason Gunnlaugson announced his deal with the Russian Curling Federation. The negotiations were for Jason Gunnlaugson and teammates Tyler Forrest and Justin Richter to pair with two Russian curlers to create a Russian team to qualify for the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games.[6] The deal involved each of the players earning $100,000 to train.

In November 2010, Gunnlaugson won the Russian Men's Curling Cup, the Russian national championships. His team defeated Artem Shmakov's Chelyabinsk rink in the final by a score of 7-1.[7]

However, later that month, Gunnlaugson, Forrest and Richter refused to renounce their Canadian citizenships in order to fast track their acquiring of Russian citizenships in order to play at the 2010 European Curling Championships. After that, the Russian Curling Federation fired the three Canadians.[8]

The Canadian Curling Association ruled that despite winning the Russian championship, the team would still be eligible to compete for the Brier, Canada's national championship. However, the team was eliminated from even playing in the Manitoba provincial championship, after failing to qualify out of their zone.

Relocating to British Columbia

At the end of the 2011-12 curling season, Gunnlaugson relocated to British Columbia after taking a job with his uncle's company. Initially Gunnlaugson was planning to take a year off from competing. For the 2012-13 season Gunnlaugson teamed up with Jim Cotter, playing third and replacing Kevin Folk who moved to Calgary.[9] The team won one event together, the 2012 Prestige Hotels & Resorts Curling Classic. They also played in four slams, making it to the finals of the 2012 Rogers Masters of Curling. The arrangement would only last one season. Gunnlaugson would remain as the team's alternate for part of the 2013-14 season, after John Morris was added to the team. He was their alternate at the 2013 Canadian Olympic Curling Trials but was replaced by Jody Epp for the 2014 Tim Hortons Brier.

Back to Manitoba

Gunnlaugson returned to Manitoba in 2014, eventually joining the William Lyburn rink at third for one season. The team won the MCT Championships and would place fourth at the 2016 Manitoba provincial men's championship. Gunnlaugson left the rink after the season, and formed a new team, skipping a rink consisting of Colton Lott, Kyle Doering and Robbie Gordon. The team won the Performance Spider Midweek Special and finished fourth at the 2017 Viterra Championship, Manitoba's provincial championship. After the season, Gunnlaugson formed a new team of Alex Forrest, Ian McMillan and Connor Njegovan. They would win the 2017 GSOC Tour Challenge Tier 2 event, defeating Gunnlaugson's former skip, William Lyburn in the final.

Personal life

Gunnglaugson is employed as a business owner for DV Painting. He is in a relationship with Theresa Cannon.[10]

Teams

SeasonSkipThirdSecondLeadAlternate
2004-05Dan KammerlockJason GunnlaugsonDerek SamagalskiDan McKenzie
2005-06Reid CarruthersJason GunnlaugsonDerek SamagalskiTyler Forrest
2006-07Reid CarruthersJason GunnlaugsonJustin RichterTyler Forrest
2007-08Reid CarruthersJason GunnlaugsonJustin RichterTyler Forrest
2008-09Daley PetersJason GunnlaugsonJustin RichterTyler Forrest
2009-10Jason GunnlaugsonJustin RichterBraden ZawadaTyler Forrest
2010-11Jason GunnlaugsonJustin RichterTyler ForrestAlexey Stukalsky
2011-12Jason GunnlaugsonJustin RichterJason AckermanDavid Kraichy
2012-13Jim CotterJason GunnlaugsonTyrel GriffithRick Sawatsky
2013Jim CotterJohn MorrisTyrel GriffithRick SawatskyJason Gunnlaugson
(replaced by Jody Epp at Brier)
2014-15Jason GunnlaugsonColton LottKyle DoeringRobbie GordonMatt Dunstone
2015-16William LyburnJason GunnlaugsonRichard DaneaultBraden Zawada
2016-17Jason GunnlaugsonColton LottKyle DoeringRobbie Gordon
2017-18Jason GunnlaugsonAlex ForrestIan McMillanConnor Njegovan

Grand Slam record

Event 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19
Elite 10 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A DNP DNP DNP Q Q
Masters Q DNP DNP DNP DNP F DNP DNP DNP DNP QF
The National Q DNP Q DNP DNP Q DNP DNP DNP DNP QF
Canadian Open DNP DNP Q DNP DNP QF DNP DNP DNP DNP QF
Players' Championships Q DNP Q DNP DNP QF DNP DNP DNP DNP QF
Champions Cup N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A DNP DNP QF

Key

  • C – Champion
  • F – Lost final
  • SF – Lost semi final
  • QF – Lost quarter final
  • Q – Did not make playoffs
  • DNP – Did not participate in event

References

  1. ↑ 2017 Home Hardware RTTR Media Guide
  2. ↑ Gary Lawless (2010-04-28). "Gunnlaugson heading to Russia to curl". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
  3. ↑ Paul Wiecek (2010-11-22). "Russians fire Gunnlaugson curling crew". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
  4. ↑ "2009 Road to the Roar". Seasonofchampions.ca. Retrieved 2011-09-13.
  5. ↑
  6. ↑ Gary Lawless (2010-04-30). "Gunner going to Russia with love". Retrieved 2010-12-22.
  7. ↑ "Curling in Russia". Retrieved December 22, 2010.
  8. ↑ Kirk Penton (November 21, 2010). "Oly Dream Dead". Winnipeg Sun. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
  9. ↑ http://www.winnipegsun.com/2012/04/27/hired-gunner-moving-to-bc
  10. ↑ 2017 Home Hardware RTTR Media Guide

Jason Gunnlaugson on the World Curling Tour database

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