Not only 1, but 2 Coasters at the Tim Hortons Brier in Calgary!

Team Yukon! Left to right: Dustin Mikkelsen (skip), Alexx Peech (third), Brandon Hagen (second), Robert Driscoll-Mckinnon (lead), Ray Mikkelsen (Alternate)

CFBS NEWS BLANC-SABLON - MARCH 10, 2021 - Robert Mckinnon is a part of Team Yukon currently at the 2021 Brier in Calgary!

Coasters sure know ice and hockey, but another professional sport seems to be gaining a lot of Coaster interest lately ......... Curling!

CFBS reached out this week to Jeffery Nadeau, originally from St. Paul's River but now living in Iqaluit, to speak about his current participation in the 2021 Brier tournament being hosted in Calgary. Imagine, to our surprise to hear that there is another participant in the Brier whose roots are closely tied to St. Augustine, right here on the Lower North Shore!

Robert Mckinnon, a member of Team Yukon, is also at the Brier competing for a spot to represent Canada at the World Curling Championships. Here is what Robert had to say when speaking to us at CFBS:

So how did your interest begin in the sport of Curling?

"I grew up playing in a league, bonspiels and cashspiels. Mostly in the last 3 years is when I really started concentrating on competitive play. Our team qualified in 2019 for the 2020 travelers championships, but was postponed due to Covid."

Can you tell us a bit about your curling team?

"We are a fairly new team, Brandon Hagen (second) Dustin Mikkelsen (Skip) and I, Robert Driscoll-Mckinnon (lead), have been curling together for the last 3 years. We picked up our third, Alexx Peech, and our 5th, Ray Mikkelsen, this season. It's been a dream for all of us to play in the Brier."

How is your team doing so far in the championship?

"The Brier experience has been amazing so far! We have been struggling with the ice a bit but it doesn't change the fact that we are at the Brier, and playing against all the guys we idolize and watch on TV. It's very high level curling, these are some of the best teams in the world. We have some tough games coming up tomorrow against Botcher and then McEwen. We are gonna put everything else aside and concentrate on those challenging games."

Have you been getting a lot of support from back home and well wishes?

'I have a large supportive group of family that lives in St. Augustine, and the surrounding area. It is where my parents grew up. I haven't made it back up there in quite some time, but when things quiet down a bit I'm sure that I'll be planning a visit. I must say, it is very exciting to see how much support we have received from the east coast! Thanks everyone!'

Imagine that, 2 Coasters at the Brier! Could this be a new sport for us to embrace here on the LNS?

CFBS thanks you Robert Mckinnon for sharing your story, big cheers are being extended to you from the Lower North Shore, we wish you and your teammates an awesome championship! GO TEAM YUKON AT THE 2021 BRIER IN CALGARY! 


Abbygail Wellman
CFBS Journalist