Russ Howard

Born in Midland, Ontario, in 1956, Russell W. “Russ” Howard established a distinguished career in curling through decades of competitive play. He achieved significant success early in his career, skipping teams to eight provincial championships in Ontario between 1980 and 1994. This period culminated in two Canadian national championships in 1987 and 1993, alongside two gold medals at the World Championships in 1987 and 1993. His consistent performance and leadership on the ice marked him as a prominent figure in Canadian curling.

Howard’s career continued to evolve when he moved to New Brunswick in the late 1990s, where he secured six more provincial titles. A career-defining moment came in 2005 when he joined Brad Gushue’s rink for the Canadian Olympic trials, guiding them to victory and securing a spot at the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics. At the Games, Howard, at 50 years old, became the oldest Canadian to win an Olympic gold medal, contributing to Canada’s first gold in men’s curling. This victory solidified his legacy as an Olympic champion and a pioneer in the sport.

Beyond his athletic achievements, Howard has made significant contributions to curling as a commentator and an innovator. He developed the “Moncton Rule,” a precursor to the modern free guard zone rule, which fundamentally changed the strategic dynamics of international curling. Since 2001, he has been a curling analyst and commentator for The Sports Network (TSN), offering insights into the sport. He also leverages his experiences as a motivational speaker and has authored two books, “Hurry Hard: The Russ Howard Story” (2007) and “Curl to Win” (2008). Recognized for his contributions, he was inducted into the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame in 2006, the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2011, Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2013, and the World Curling Federation Hall of Fame in 2015.