Kevin Martin
Curling Athlete - Inducted 2015
Kevin Martin is the most decorated curler in Canadian history. His record as a skip started in 1985 as the Junior Men’s Alberta Champion. Kevin is a three-time Olympian and double medalist, having won the gold medal in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and a silver medal in 2002. Curling was a demonstration sport when he went to his first Olympics in 1992.
Nicknamed "the Old Bear" for his longevity in curling, Kevin is a 12-time provincial champion. He won four Canadian Brier Championship titles during his career in 1991, 1997, 2008, and 2009. He won the World Curling Championship in 2008. Kevin received the top ranking by the Canadian Curling Association from 2004 to 2008 and from 2009 to 2011.
Kevin was instrumental in the creation and development of the Grand Slam series for world-class curlers. He won a record number of 18 Grand Slam Championships and was the first curler to win each event and achieve the "career Grand Slam."
Originally, the Grand Slam competition started as a Major event - the Player's Championship. During the 2015 season, there were five events. Through the Grand Slam series, Kevin helped bring more competition, sponsorship, and prize money to curling. The awareness and popularity of curling also grew from a recreational sport for a few, to a spectator sport with thousands of people attending the events and millions watching on TV.
Kevin thrived in other forms of competition and activities. He set the benchmark as a Skins Game money winner. He also created and organized the Kevin Martin Summer Curling Academy camp for junior curlers. Since 1991, he has owned and operated his own business, Kevin's Rocks-n-Racquets.
After retiring as a competitor in 2014, Kevin joined Sportsnet as a colour analyst for their curling broadcasts.
Kevin Martin was inducted into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in August 2014.
After Induction
2018 - inducted into the World Curling Hall of Fame
2019 - Martin was named the greatest Canadian male skip in history in a TSN poll of broadcasters, reporters and top curlers.
