Erin Pincott (left) and Matt Dunstone have been dating for three years after a friendship that began at the 2013 World Junior Curling Championships in Russia (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

CURLING LOVERS

Pincott, Dunstone supporting each other as they chase curling dreams

Feb 14, 2020 | 5:32 PM

KAMLOOPS — It’s a romance that’s been heating up the ice at the Kamloops Curling Club for the last three years.

Erin Pincott and Matt Dunstone are always at the rink working on their craft, even in a recreational mixed doubles league at the club.

It’s been a match made in heaven with both high-level curlers. Pincott is a core part of Corryn Brown’s rink that’s representing B.C. at the Scotties for the first time starting this weekend, while Dunstone is skipping Team Saskatchewan at the Brier that begins Feb. 29.

“It’s super helpful having someone that kind of understands the struggles that you go through or being away that much or can share that joy with you when you do win,” noted Pincott.

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Dunstone added, “At times, it’s obviously a little bit difficult when one person’s on the road and the other’s at home, but we both get it. We’re both chasing our dreams.”

They have known each other for seven years, meeting at the 2013 World Junior Curling Championships in Russia. At the time, Pincott was on Brown’s Canadian junior championship-winning team, while Dunstone had skipped Manitoba to a national junior title.

But it wasn’t necessarily love at first sight.

“We met the guys team after we won, and I remember Matt just said, ‘Just so you know, it’s going to be a long haul to fill out all the paper work for the Russian visas,'” remembered Pincott. “He was right. We were in that little room after we won for a few hours. I wouldn’t say sparks right off the bat.”

They had also been cheering against each other, with Pincott and Team B.C. playing Manitoba in the final. But once they arrived in Russia, the men and women’s teams became close.

“They would support us, we would support them, and [we] hit it off as friends, I would say, right away. Just very compatible personalities. We joke around a lot,” noted Pincott.

Dunstone added, “Me and Erin kept a pretty close relationship. Chatted back and forth quite a bit over the years after that, and here we are.”

When they started talking about a serious relationship, Dunstone was living in Winnipeg, Erin based in Kamloops. Dunstone ultimately decided to settle in the Tournament Capital of Canada.

“I came out here, spent some time during the summer a couple years back and it’s tough not to enjoy life out here, so I enjoyed that part of it,” said Dunstone.

He officially moved in July 2018 for Ken Brown, Corryn’s father, at his HVAC company in Kamloops. While the couple is busy curling in the winter, they enjoy days away from the rink to explore what Kamloops has to offer.

“In the summer, we have a paddle board. We like to go paddle boarding, hiking. I took up golf last summer, so Matt’s been teaching me a little bit on how to golf, so looking forward to doing that in the offseason.”

In the meantime, Pincott’s focused on the Scotties. Dunstone will be there as well cheering on his girlfriend and Team Brown as they compete for their first national championship.

“Not fun. I don’t like watching very much,” he said. “I get a little nervous and just wish I could get out there and get the rock in my hand. That’s just the way I am, but it’ll be a blast, especially her first one.”