A disappointing loss at the Road to the Roar pre-trials Sunday spelled the end of Glenn Howard’s dream of competing at the Winter Olympics.
“Absolutely disappointing because you know you want to go,” said Howard. “I’ve had many chances to get there; I’ve come very close a few times.”
Team Howard lost to Team Bottcher 9-5 in the men’s B-side final in Summerside, Prince Edward Island.
The win for Brendan Bottcher’s team clinched the final men's spot in the Roar of the Rings next month in Ottawa, where Canada's four-player curling teams for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea will be decided.
"Amazing," said the 25-year-old Bottcher. "We came into this game and tried to lower our expectations a little bit, and just go out there and play well. That was the goal. But when you win, and now you're in the Trials and all that comes with it, it's huge."
Howard, 55, stated before the pre-trials that this would be his final attempt at making the Olympics for Canada. He admits time is catching up and his focus is now on playing with his son, Scott.
“It’s really cool as a father to be able to play with your kid and it’s something you can cherish for the rest of your life,” he said.
However, this is not the end for the skip, as he will be back on the ice trying to get to the worlds.
As for the Olympics, Howard will still be at Winter Games as a coach for Eve Muirhead’s rink.
- With files from The Canadian Press
