Two curlers believed to be the first Black and Asian skips in Brier history are set to break new ground at Canada’s national men’s curling championship.
Cody Tanaka said it wasn’t until he and his team won the provincial championships in British Columbia to qualify for the Brier that someone suggested he would be the first Asian skip at the event.
"It's an honour," Tanaka, of Tsawwassen, B.C., said after a Friday practice session at the Mary Brown's Centre.
Meanwhile, Team Ontario’s Jayden King, of Tillsonburg, Ont., is believed to be the first Black skip to compete at the Brier.
The 23-year-old, whose father immigrated from Trinidad and Tobago and who first tried curling after seeing it on television as an 11-year-old, did not dwell on the milestone, focusing instead on the opportunity to compete.
“It feels great,” King said, grinning after practice. “Obviously, being at the Brier is a great accomplishment, and I'm just happy to be here with my team and now get started.”
King has described his young team as a “unique mix,” including third Dylan Niepage, who is deaf and wears cochlear implants. All under the age of 25 and fresh out of the junior and university ranks, the Tillsonburg Curling Club rink began the season ranked 40th in the world. After winning the Ontario men’s championship in January, it has since climbed to No. 18.
This year's Brier will see several legacies created and cemented. Celebrated St. John's skip Brad Gushue says it will be his last national men's curling championship, and he is prepared for an emotional event on home ice.
Josh Miki, the British Columbia team's coach, is a third-generation Brier competitor. His father, Bryan Miki, won the 2000 Brier with Team British Columbia, skipped by Greg McAulay. Fuji Miki, Josh Miki's grandfather, was among the first players of Japanese descent to play at a Brier, according to Curling Canada.
"And now me, I get to coach behind the bench for my first Brier," Josh Miki said.
"I grew up watching my dad compete all the time, so I spent a lot of time at curling rinks," he added. "I've just loved the game since I've been a kid."
Curling Canada has stepped up efforts to diversify participation in the sport. Richard Norman, the organization's director of community futures and innovations, has launched several successful efforts to get the word out about the sport, tailoring strategies for different regions and communities.
The organization also offers a host of resources to help curling clubs be more inclusive.
Tanaka was drawn to the sport's competitiveness, and he got into playing through his high school's curling league.
He pointed to Team Saskatchewan, skipped by Mike McEwen, and Team Manitoba, led by Matt Dunstone, as the teams to beat.
"I hope we get a couple wins here and there, but it'll be cool to soak in the atmosphere and see all the fans," Tanaka said.
King said he hopes his "quiet leadership" will guide his team to the playoffs.
"We want to be around at the end of the week for sure," he said. "We had a good tour season; we put a lot of points on the board."
This year's Brier champion will represent Canada at the 2026 LGT World Men’s Curling Championship next month in Utah.
