Robert Wayne Middaugh (born September 20, 1967) is a Canadian curler. Born in Brampton, Ontario, Middaugh resides in Victoria Harbour, Ontario. He is the only player to have won the Canadian Men's Curling Championship (known as the Brier) at three different positions: skip (1998), third (2012), and second (1993). He was inducted into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in 2020.[1] He currently coaches the Anna Hasselborg rink from Sweden.[2]

Wayne Middaugh
Born (1967-09-20) September 20, 1967 (age 57)
Curling career
Member Association Ontario
Brier appearances10 (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2021)
Top CTRS ranking2nd (2003–04)
Grand Slam victories11: Masters/World Cup (Dec 2003, 2011, 2013);
Canadian Open (2001, 2012);
The National (2005, 2008, 2012, 2014);
Players (2002, 2013)
Medal record
Men's Curling
Representing  Canada
World Curling Championships
Gold medal – first place 1993 Geneva
Gold medal – first place 1998 Kamloops
Gold medal – first place 2012 Basel
Representing  Ontario
Tim Hortons Brier
Gold medal – first place 1993 Ottawa
Gold medal – first place 1998 Winnipeg
Gold medal – first place 2012 Saskatoon
Silver medal – second place 1992 Regina
Silver medal – second place 1994 Red Deer
Bronze medal – third place 2001 Ottawa
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Edmonton

Career

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Middaugh is a three-time world champion, once as second for Russ Howard in 1993, as a skip in 1998, and as third for Glenn Howard in 2012. He has competed in ten Briers — in 1991, 1992, 1993, and 1994 as Russ Howard's second, in 1998, 2001, 2005 and 2021 as a skip, and in 2012 and 2013 as third on the Glenn Howard rink — winning the title in 1993, 1998 and 2012. On top of this, Middaugh has won seven TSN Skins Games, was the World Curling Tour Money leader for three seasons and has won five World Curling Tour Players' Championships (1995, 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2013).

In March 2007, Jon Mead was announced as the Middaugh team's replacement for Wayne's cousin Peter Corner at the third position. He left the team in April 2010 to rejoin with his former skip Jeff Stoughton.

Following the retirement of Richard Hart from the Glenn Howard rink, Howard announced that Middaugh would replace Hart as his third.[3] Middaugh would have immediate success with his new team, qualifying for the 2012 Tim Hortons Brier where the rink lost only one game during the event, and defeated Alberta's Kevin Koe in the final. Middaugh became the first curler to win the Brier at three different positions. In addition to the 2012 title, Middaugh was the winner of the annual Ford Hot Shots skills and shot-making competition that precedes the start of round-robin play. The team represented Ontario again at the 2013 Tim Hortons Brier, where they won a bronze medal.

Middaugh left the Howard rink in 2014, and announced his retirement from competitive curling.[4] However he returned in time to play in the Challenge Round to qualify for the 2015 Ontario Tankard, being added as skip to Peter Corner's rink. He returned to the Howard rink for the 2015–16 curling season before breaking his leg in a skiing accident partway though the season. The team qualified for the 2016 Tim Hortons Brier, but due to the injury Middaugh was relegated to coaching the team.[5]

Middaugh's accident resulted in his leg being broken in 11 places, two years of recovery, and multiple surgeries. It also resulted in him getting a "titanium leg". This forced him to cut his curling career short, and he moved to the world of coaching, joining the 2018 Olympic gold medallist Anna Hasselborg rink as their coach.[6] During the 2020–21 curling season, Middaugh's former skip Glenn Howard got into an accident of his own, while snowmobiling. Due to the accident, Middaugh joined the team to play in the 2021 Tim Hortons Brier, replacing Howard as skip.[7] Despite his prior injury and time away from the game, Middaugh led the team to an 8–4 record, finishing in 5th place overall. After the event, Middaugh called it a "one off", stating that he could not "play a long event again".[8]

Personal life

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Middaugh works as the general manager at the Port Carling Golf & Country Club[9] and is also the PGA of Canada golf pro.[10] He is married to former Ontario women's champion Sherry Middaugh, and has two children.[11]

Career statistics

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Grand Slam record

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Key
C Champion
F Lost in Final
SF Lost in Semifinal
QF Lost in Quarterfinals
R16 Lost in the round of 16
Q Did not advance to playoffs
T2 Played in Tier 2 event
DNP Did not participate in event
N/A Not a Grand Slam event that season
Event 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009-10 2010-11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016-17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22
Masters SF SF C DNP QF QF SF Q DNP Q C Q C DNP Q DNP DNP DNP DNP N/A DNP
The National Q Q SF Q C DNP SF C QF SF C Q C DNP SF DNP DNP DNP DNP N/A DNP
Canadian Open C QF QF Q DNP QF SF Q Q Q SF C SF DNP Q DNP DNP DNP DNP N/A DNP
Players' C Q Q Q Q Q QF Q DNP DNP F C Q SF[a] DNP DNP DNP DNP N/A DNP Q[b]

Teams

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Season Skip Third Second Lead
1986–87 Wayne Middaugh Peter Corner Dave Hannon Todd Macklin
1989–90[12] Russ Howard Glenn Howard Wayne Middaugh Peter Corner
1990–91 Russ Howard Glenn Howard Wayne Middaugh Peter Corner
1991–92 Russ Howard Glenn Howard Wayne Middaugh Peter Corner
1992–93 Russ Howard Glenn Howard Wayne Middaugh Peter Corner
1993–94 Russ Howard Glenn Howard Wayne Middaugh Peter Corner
1994–95 Wayne Middaugh Graeme McCarrel Ian Tetley Scott Bailey
1995–96 Wayne Middaugh Graeme McCarrel Ian Tetley Scott Bailey
1996–97 Wayne Middaugh Graeme McCarrel Ian Tetley Scott Bailey
1997–98 Wayne Middaugh Graeme McCarrel Ian Tetley Scott Bailey
1998–99 Wayne Middaugh Graeme McCarrel Ian Tetley Scott Bailey
1999–00 Wayne Middaugh Graeme McCarrel Ian Tetley Scott Bailey
2000–01 Wayne Middaugh Graeme McCarrel Ian Tetley Scott Bailey
2001–02 Wayne Middaugh Graeme McCarrel Ian Tetley Scott Bailey
2002–03 Wayne Middaugh Graeme McCarrel Ian Tetley Scott Bailey
2003–04 Wayne Middaugh Graeme McCarrel Joe Frans Scott Bailey
2004–05 Wayne Middaugh Graeme McCarrel Joe Frans Scott Bailey
2005–06 Wayne Middaugh Peter Corner Phil Loevenmark Scott Bailey
2006–07 Wayne Middaugh Peter Corner Ian Tetley Scott Bailey
2007–08 Wayne Middaugh Jon Mead John Epping Scott Bailey
2008–09 Wayne Middaugh Jon Mead John Epping Scott Bailey
2009–10 Wayne Middaugh Jon Mead John Epping Scott Bailey
2010–11 Wayne Middaugh Joe Frans Scott Howard Scott Foster
2011–12 Glenn Howard Wayne Middaugh Brent Laing Craig Savill
2012–13 Glenn Howard Wayne Middaugh Brent Laing Craig Savill
2013–14 Glenn Howard Wayne Middaugh Brent Laing Craig Savill
2014-15 Glenn Howard Wayne Middaugh Jon Mead Craig Savill
2015–16 Glenn Howard Wayne Middaugh Richard Hart Scott Howard
2021 Wayne Middaugh Scott Howard David Mathers Tim March

Notes

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  1. ^ Middaugh spared in the playoffs for the Brendan Bottcher rink, as Bottcher had to take an exam.
  2. ^ Middaugh spared for Glenn Howard as Howard sustained a knee injury.

References

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  1. ^ "Curling Canada | into the Hall!".
  2. ^ "Thankful Middaugh heads into Hall of Fame". TSN. March 6, 2020. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  3. ^ Gregory Strong (April 6, 2012). "Middaugh on a mission: Former skip excelling as a third with Canada skip Howard". Brandon Sun.
  4. ^ "Middaugh steps away from competitive curling". Grand Slam of Curling. 22 April 2014. Archived from the original on 4 May 2014. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  5. ^ "Injured Wayne Middaugh assumes coaching role for Ontario's Brier team". Ottawa Citizen. 5 March 2016. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  6. ^ "New Hall of Famer Middaugh still heavily involved in curling despite devastating career-ending injury". Winnipeg Sun. 6 March 2020. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  7. ^ "Curling Hall of Famer Middaugh makes triumphant return to Brier after devastating leg injury derailed career". Toronto Sun. 7 March 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  8. ^ "The challenge of being off the ice: Wayne Middaugh's transition into coaching". World Curling Federation. 29 April 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  9. ^ "2021 Tim Hortons Brier Media Guide" (PDF). Curling Canada. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  10. ^ "2020 World Women's Curling Championship Media Guide" (PDF). Curling Canada. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  11. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-06. Retrieved 2013-12-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  12. ^ Windsor Star, February 7, 1990, pg D3, Werenich overcomes bad omens"
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