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Kevin Martin is no stranger to championship curling whether it be as a four-time Brier champion or a world curling and Olympic champion.
He's in North Bay this week to provide analysis as Sportsnet's coverage of the Pinty's Grand Slam of Curling Boost National 2022 starts tomorrow.
Martin says there have been some great games already and the ice has been awesome.
See related: Day 1 round-up from Boost National curling at Memorial Gardens
He says it's early in the season and he's interested in how all the different team combinations are working out.
"We're having fun thinking of the different combinations. You know, Team Bottcher looking like this or Team Homan looking like this. The teams have shuffled the decks so much and that's the story for the curling fans and for us in the booth. It's going to be so much fun to see."
See related: Gushue looks forward to big, supportive North Bay crowds
Martin says a lot of the teams will succeed.
"There are teams that on paper should look fantastic but won't because of chemistry. Nobody knows which team will do well. It's totally up in the air."
Martin says it takes time and patience to make everything work.
"Teams are concerned about a smooth transition and not just the skip. Are they going to get together. You may have members who may not want to come to the rink two hours before the game while others may not like team meetings. These are all things that need to get figured out because a happy medium is necessary for success,".
The curlers are playing for $300,000 this week and Martin thinks that's great.
"There's a lot of money on the line but for many of these teams, it's all about winning championships. That's what matters most. There's also the points race and the chance to qualify for other major events and world ranking points. Doing well in North Bay can help you for events next month and the month after that,".
