GUELPH, Ont. — A new chapter in a long-running curling sweeping saga came at an inopportune time for Team John Epping.
Just before their first appearance this season on the top-flight Grand Slam of Curling series, the players on his Sudbury, Ont.-based side made a last-minute change to their brooms for the WFG Masters.
The equipment adjustment, even though his brooms were legal, came after 30 of the sport's top teams signed off on a "proposal for fair play in curling." Many rinks believe firmer foam products in broomheads allow sweepers to have too much control on the ice.
Epping said he made the change to stay true to "the spirit of curling." The experience, however, coupled with what he felt was a lack of communication, left the veteran skip questioning player solidarity.
"Unity has got to be everybody," Epping said. "Involve me and talk to me as just a human. They know me and they know what I'm about."
It was the latest development in a sport without a formal players' association that's trying to find a sweet spot as equipment advancements impact player performance.
The 1,925-word document said technology developments, "particularly new foams like BalancePlus RS 2.0 Firm and Goldline Pursuer," have sparked controversy even though they're compliant with World Curling specifications.
This week at the Sleeman Centre, teams that use Goldline equipment instead used a foam that matched the current Hardline Curling competitive foam, the document said.
Many of the teams at the event use Hardline equipment. Epping, the lone BalancePlus rink in the field, said he used a Hardline foam with BalancePlus accessories even though he would have been within the rules to use his regular equipment.
"We were complying as to what was asked of us in the spirit of the game," he said.
Epping talked with players about the foam subject at a recent tour stop in Swift Current, Sask., but said there were no concerns. He was disappointed no one reached out to him if they'd changed their minds.
"That's what hurts to me," Epping said, his voice cracking with emotion. "I've been around a long time. People can call and talk to me. That's what I find the toughest out of it all."
Epping and a few other teams did not sign the document, which noted his team "deserves to be acknowledged by our collective voice."
World Curling issued a statement that said it is "continually monitoring the current situation."
"I'm quite disappointed in how it's all been handled, this should not be between players and players," said four-time world champ Glenn Howard, who retired last year. "There should not be any finger-pointing at players. To be honest with you, the problem is with the WCF (now World Curling).
"If the players have a problem with the ruling or the testing the WCF has done, then that's where they have to point the fingers."
Skip Brad Jacobs, who won Olympic gold in 2014, said he thinks all curlers just want to be on a level, fair playing field when it comes to equipment.
"There have been some foams approved that can do some really surprising things to a stone that none of us want to see out here," he said. "We all came together, we united as one to have a little bit more say and a little bit more transparency in the equipment that we use at the highest level."
World Curling, based in Perth, Scotland, acknowledged "the need for a full review of the specification for sweeping equipment."
"I think that John's willingness to put the sport ahead of what probably puts his team in the best position to win, just speaks to his character and what he believes to be most important," said Tyler George, who chairs World Curling's athlete commission.
"It's just really unfortunate that he had to be in this position based on the fact that they're using equipment that was not deemed to be outside the regulations that were set."
The subject harkened back to nearly a decade ago when the governing body declared a moratorium on broomheads with directional fabric. Radical sweeping technique changes followed.
Now it's foam firmness that's a hot topic with provincial/territorial playdown season underway. It'll be status quo at domestic events this season since Curling Canada and its member associations follow World Curling rules on equipment.
Epping and teammates Tanner Horgan, Jacob Horgan and Ian McMillan, ranked No. 5 in Canada, have won five tour events this season.
"I'm not sure where this should go," Epping said. "We're going week by week. The tough thing is we have our provincial playdown next week and I don't know what people are going to expect us to do.
"It has been difficult."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 16, 2025.
Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press
