By JIM BENDER
Winnipeg Beach’s Colton Lott has quietly proven himself as one of the best thirds in Canada, if not the world.
The vice-skip for Manitoba’s Matt Dunstone outshot the likes of Olympic gold medallists Mark Kennedy of Alberta and Newfoundland’s Mark Nicholls and the rest of the field of third-rock tossers at the recent Montana’s Brier — which was the key to Dunstone winning his first Brier title.
“It feels great,” said Lott, 30. “It’s nice to see all of the hard work paying off and I put myself, personally, into the best position I can to be the best for the team and that’s a great feeling, a great feeling.”
So was winning the Brier with his long-time teammate, Dunstone, and the front end of brothers E.J. and Ryan Harden, who will represent Canada at the LGT World Men’s Curling Championship in Ogden, Utah, March 27-April 4.
“It’s a wild feeling, that’s for sure,” Lott said. “I guess it will fully sink a little more once we get our (Team Canada) gear and it gets a little closer to us leaving for the Worlds.”
Dunstone had recently lost two Brier and one Canadian Curling Trials finals, so it was a bit surprising when he told his teammates it was “time to dance” late in the tight final versus Alberta’s Kevin Koe.
“That was good, it was good,” Lott said with a laugh. “When he says that, it means it’s time to push and I have the most amount of trust in Matty – like I always have had since he’s been skipping me and when he says it’s time to dance, it’s time to dance.”
After Dunstone blew up a house full of rocks to clinch the victory in the 10th end, he stayed on his knees, crying emotionally, then shouted for joy.
“He threw it really well and it was just ‘Clean’ all the way down, and seeing Matt just kind of collapse on the ice there, it was just a rush of emotions and excitement, and I would say relief as well, too,” Lott said. “Just all that rush all at once and it was just a phenomenal moment.”
Lott not only won one gold and two silver medals at the Brier, he and his wife, Kadriana, have won two straight gold medals and two silver at the Canadian Mixed Doubles Curling Championships to become one of the most decorated Manitoba curlers ever.
“Yeah, I’ve had some success along the way here and it really helps,” Lott said. “We’ve had a lot of heartbreak, too, especially losing those finals (two Brier, one Trials) and just the amount of experience that all comes with that. It just piled on time after time and it makes these events and those certain types of big games more, I wouldn’t say predictable, but you know the feeling going into it and how you’re gonna feel and you can expect what you’re gonna get, I guess — the feeling that you’re going to get in that big moment and you’re using that as more of a motivation in those tough games.”
Lott also credited his success in Mixed Doubles for his improved play in men’s.
“For sure, definitely,” he said. “For me, with my touch game, it definitely helps and then, having that success in doubles, too, and knowing what to expect. The more I can get myself into those big games, the more routine it will feel. You’ll still have those nerves behind you, but really knowing what to expect when you’re in them.”
Lott is well aware that it will be just as tough to win at the Worlds as it was at the Brier.
“There are a couple of teams that you wouldn’t normally see at the men’s, but every team there is gonna be great,” he said. “Everybody plays Canada tough and we just want to sort of stick with our routine, our plan, staying within our team and not let any outside noise or anything like that kind of bother our dynamic that way.”
Canada has not won the men’s Worlds since 2017 (Brad Gushue).
“Everyone has gotten so much better and more consistent, and anybody can beat anybody,” Lott said. “We know that and we’re going to put our best foot forward for Canada at the Worlds.”
Lott will get little rest after the Worlds as he and Kadriana will represent Canada at the ACE & Company World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship in Geneva, Switzerland, April 26-May 2.
“We go to World Men’s and then, we get back and that week, Kadriana are going to a sort of super series finale event in Ontario, just as a tune-up,” Lott said. “Then, we have a week at home to practise. Then, we’re off to Geneva later in April to represent Canada at the Worlds.”
Both Colton and Kadriana work full-time in Gimli. Colton works as a carpenter for Windows Guy Ltd., while Kadriana is an optometric assistant at Oakley Vision Centre.
“It’s a balancing act, for sure,” Colton said. “We have super-understanding support from our employers who go all-in with our curling, and we couldn’t thank them enough. Without their support, it would be very hard to do what we do.”
HACK CHAT – Because of their busy schedule, the Lotts have decided to drop out of the Canadian Mixed Doubles Championship in Surrey, B.C., Mar. 21-17 … Gimli’s Kerri Einarson posted a 5-0 record at the BKT World Women’s Curling Championship in Calgary this week – her best start ever in her fourth appearance at the Worlds (she has never won it) … CurlManitoba recently announced that Altona will host the Bunge Manitoba men’s championship next year. Gimli will host the women’s.
