It’s your chance to meet an Olympian and get an autographed copy of Fit to Curl.

John Morris will be appearing at the Ottawa Curling Club on Saturday, December 19th from 2-5 PM for a special book signing. Not only will you be able to get a book with John’s signature, you’ll have a chance to win some great door prizes including an autographed, game-worn (don’t worry, it’s been laundered) Team Canada shirt, a Team Martin Goldline brush with the signatures of the entire team and a one-hour curling lesson with Johnny Mo himself. What’s more, the first 100 people at the event will receive an autographed Team Martin photo.

If you’re in the Ottawa area, don’t miss out. Pick up a copy of Fit to Curl for yourself or for the curlers on your holiday shopping list and wish John the best at the Vancouver Games.

Three-plus years of training, practice and hard work paid off for John and his teammates — Kevin Martin, Marc Kennedy, Ben Hebert — when they defeated Team Howard in the finals of the Canadian Curling Trials yesterday. After a somewhat sluggish start in Edmonton, Team Martin showed that champions know how to turn things around. By the end of the week, they were firing on all cylinders, playing with confidence and determination.

It reflects well on the CCA’s Olympic team selection process that it was Howard vs. Martin in the final game. Over the last three years, these have clearly been the two best teams. Watching these rinks battle has been a gift for curling fans — rarely has the sport seen an era with two teams this good.

Interestingly, Fit to Curl has a strong link to the women’s champion as well — Cheryl Bernard is featured in many of the exercise photos in the book. Cheryl is always quick to acknowledge how important her fitness routine has been to her performance on the ice. I think she’s playing better than she ever has in her career and some of that can be attributed to the commitment she has made in the gym. Congratulations to Cheryl, Susan O’Connor, Carolyn Darbyshire and and Cori Bartel.

We’ll have copies of the book signed by Johnny Mo in Edmonton during the Roar. They’ll be available in the lobby of the Coliseum Inn — adjacent to Rexall Place and, I’m informed, newly renovated — for one hour prior to the start of each draw on Monday and Tuesday. I’ll be at a table in the lobby, somewhat drowsy if it’s in the morning before the 8:30 AM draw.

This is a great chance to pick up a gift for that hard-to-shop-for curler on your holiday list. No shipping charges and John’s signature. If you bring your copy of the book to one of the autograph sessions during the Roar, I’m sure John will personalize it for you as well.

— Dean Gemmell