John and Team Canada are undefeated in Vancouver and playing well. Some big tests ahead but they had important wins against Norway in the first game and the nascent Swedes in their third contest.

And how about those Canadian curling uniforms? Brilliant, I think, and hats off to Mondetta for the shirts. It probably doesn’t hurt that top Canadian curler Jon Mead is the head of sales at Mondetta.

Of course, those shirts wouldn’t work quite so well if the players on the Canadian Team had nicknames like Lumpy or Tubby. But they’ve trained so hard for the last three years and it’s great to see such an athletic group on the ice. Playing, of course, against many other fit sides. I’m going to guess that at the end of a long tournament, there will be a direct correlation between fitness levels and the teams that are in the playoffs.

By the way, John tells me that he loves the atmosphere in the venue. Insanely loud, he says, but a ton of fun.

Finally, how about Cheryl Bernard? Her clutch shotmaking has Canada off to a 3-0 start. Yes, being mentally tough is essential when you have to make big shots in the 10th or 11th ends. But it’s a lot easier when your legs and your body are up to the task. Nobody trains harder than Cheryl and, at 43, she’s in the Olympic Games. She’s also in Fit to Curl, appearing in photos throughout the book.

— Dean Gemmell