Two curlers believed to be the first Black and Asian skips in the history of the Brier are making history at this year’s national men’s curling championship.
Cody Tanaka of Tsawwassen, British Columbia, realized the significance of his achievement only after qualifying for the tournament through the provincial championships. Tanaka is believed to be the first Asian skip to compete at the Brier and described the moment as an honour after a practice session at the Mary Brown’s Centre.
At the same time, Team Ontario’s Jayden King of Tillsonburg is thought to be the first Black skip to appear in the championship. The 23-year-old, whose father immigrated from Trinidad and Tobago, began curling at age 11 after seeing the sport on television. King said his focus remains on competition rather than the milestone, expressing pride in reaching the Brier with his team.
King leads a young and diverse roster that includes third Dylan Niepage, who is deaf and wears cochlear implants. All team members are under 25 and recently transitioned from junior and university curling. Starting the season ranked 40th in the world, the Tillsonburg Curling Club rink surged to No. 18 after winning the Ontario men’s championship in January.
This year’s championship also marks a turning point for several long-standing legacies in the sport. Veteran skip Brad Gushue has announced this will be his final national men’s championship appearance, making the event especially emotional on home ice in St. John’s.
British Columbia coach Josh Miki represents a third generation of Brier involvement. His father, Bryan Miki, won the 2000 championship with Team B.C., and his grandfather Fuji Miki was among the first players of Japanese descent to compete at the tournament. Josh Miki said growing up around curling rinks shaped his lifelong love for the sport.
Curling Canada continues to expand efforts to diversify participation through community outreach and inclusive programming. Richard Norman, the organization’s director of community futures and innovations, has led initiatives tailored to different regions and communities, while providing clubs with resources to become more welcoming environments.
Tanaka credits his introduction to curling through his high school league and said he is excited to experience the championship atmosphere. He identified Team Saskatchewan, skipped by Mike McEwen, and Team Manitoba, led by Matt Dunstone, as the teams to beat.
King hopes his calm and quiet leadership style will help guide his team into playoff contention, noting that a strong tour season gave them confidence heading into the national event.
The winner of this year’s championship will go on to represent Canada at the 2026 LGT World Men’s Curling Championship next month in Utah.
