How has the ice crew taken care of frosty curling conditions at the Brier?
An army of dehumidifiers and volunteers to help set them up has aided ice guru Greg Ewasko and his crew's efforts to improve conditions
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Frost has been the enemy early on for the stars of the 2025 Montana’s Brier.
But the cold-hearted foe is being beaten back by Curling Canada’s top ice guru, Greg Ewasko, and the crew around him.
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How has the ice crew taken care of frosty curling conditions at the Brier? Back to video
And he feels like they are winning the battle to get ideal conditions in position for the rest of the Canadian men’s curling championship in Kelowna, B.C.
“It looks like everything is working perfectly now,” said Ewasko, who had an army of dehumidifiers hauled in Sunday from Vancouver to help take care of the problem at Prospera Place.
“There was a lot of smiles when the curlers walked in (Monday) morning,” added Ewasko, an ice technician of 31 years in Manitoba. “I think we’ve gotten a hold of her, and we’re not going to let go of her.”
So just how did this situation and the response come about at the Brier?
What’s the best weather for curling ice?
It’s hovering around the freezing mark this week in Kelowna.
That’s not the ideal setting to maintain a world-class surface for elite curlers.
Ice technicians want colder weather rather than warmer conditions outside in order to prepare the perfect ice.
But not too cold.
“Minus-15 (C) is the sweet spot,” Ewasko said. “But when it gets to be minus-45 back home in Winnipeg, that kinda sucks.”
So he’s happiest with outdoor temperatures in the -15 to -20 range, because it’s most definitely dry.
It’s not terrible if it’s a little warmer outside, though, just as long as the humidity stays away, because that’s what creates the frost that sets into the ice.
“It’s better if it’s gonna be drier, so then we can work with it,” Ewasko said. “When it’s warmer out and the humidity is up — like now when springtime is happening and things are thawing — the ice is a little harder to control.
“I’d rather have it dry outside than wet.”
How the ice crew fixed the frost problem
Ewasko has been the head ice technician for Curling Canada for the last six years, having been involved with national events off and on since 2007.
So the 48-year-old native of Beausejour, Man., is overseeing the conditions in Kelowna.
And when frost came to be an issue early on at the Brier, Ewasko quickly jumped into action.
First, he talked with the curlers, saying, “The more they give me some kind of feedback, then the more that I can adjust and the more I can make the ice better.”
Then, he set up a plan in response.
Ewasko called longtime friend Derek King, who is with the National Hockey League’s Facility Operations Department having overseen ice conditions at nearly 30 NHL outdoor games.
King gave Ewasko contact information for Sunbelt Rentals in Vancouver, and the delivery of four massive dehumidifiers was on from the West Coast hub to the Okanagan city.
“They actually had six dehumidifiers, but we stole four,” Ewasko said. “I said, ‘We’re going to need four, at least.’
“Everybody’s looking at me saying, ‘Are you sure?’ But they have the confidence in me. I wouldn’t be here if Curling Canada didn’t trust me.”
The machines arrived Sunday afternoon, and three were hooked up “in a matter of no time,” said Ewasko, with collapsible ducting running from the arena seating area out concourse entries to the dehumidifiers stationed outside Prospera Place.
The fourth dehumidifier was put up Monday morning.
As per TSN analyst Cathy Gauthier, “The dehumidifiers are pulling humidity out of the air and returning fresh air into the building, and the combination of the two is removing the frost.”
Ewasko credited the short-order set-up to the many volunteers on hand, helping to stretch out the ducting and put it in position.
“I wouldn’t have gotten half the stuff done that we did within the short period of time without the volunteer help,” Ewasko said. “Like at any curling event, we rely on volunteers heavily, and this group has just been excellent.”
“We’re able to deal with the frost, because we brought in dehumidification — and away we go.”
Much to the relief of Ewasko.
“When you’re talking renting equipment for around $100,000 for a week, then I’ve got to make sure I’m doing the right call,” added Ewasko, who also works for Curl Manitoba. “It’s not my money I’m spending. It’s Curling Canada’s money. They obviously want prime conditions for their curlers, so that’s what I’m trying to do.”
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