Skip Kelly Knapp and his Regina curling crew are provincial curling champions. 

Knapp defeated former champ Steve Laycock 5-4 at Affinity Place on Sunday to claim his first Saskatchewan title.

Team Knapp will now wear the green and white at the national championship (Brier) next month in London, Ontario.

"It's honestly a little surreal right now...it's going to have to sink in for sure," said Knapp following the game. "To be honest with you, I knew we were going to have a good week here, but you still don't really think or believe you'll be hoisting the trophy at the end, especially when you haven't done it before."

"It's just super, super special."

 

Knapp went undefeated at the SaskTel Men's Tankard in Estevan, beating Laycock three times along the way. A men's team from Saskatchewan has not won the Brier since 1980, when Rick Folk accomplished the feat.

"I do not look at that lightly at all, we are not there for a participation ribbon," said Knapp. "I honestly think that if we keep working at it, then we'll see what happens. Obviously there's some incredible teams out there, but maybe in a year when new teams are forming, this is a good year for us to go in."

"We have experience as a group, and we just have to handle the nerves like we did tonight, and I think we'll be right there with the rest of the competition."

Knapp also spoke very highly of the entire event and the host committee in Estevan.

"It was such an incredible Tankard. The volunteers were all so nice, everything was super organized. The ice, the venue, I honestly can't say one flaw with the whole week, so we're just so grateful to Estevan," he said.

The Brier runs March 3-12.