From the East Kootenay to Katmandu, Tom Shypitka can count on support from around the globe as he attempts to win the national men's curling championship.

The Cranbrookian is in Halifax as part of Jeff Richard's Kelowna rink; the 2010 Tim Hortons Brier starts Saturday.

Back home in Elkford, former teammate Ken McHargue will be glued to the television, if not the furniture.

“It's going to be so exciting, just so much more fun,” he said. “I'll be jumping out of my chair trying to help him sweep. I'll have absolutely no effect on it, but that won't keep me in my chair. It's just wonderful having a close friend in there.”

McHargue and Shypitka formed the front end for Gerry Kent's rink in 1991.Together with Brian Collison, they got to the semi-final of that year's Brier ( see ROAD TO 1991 ).

McHargue was at this year's provincials as well, curling with Kimberley's Tom Buchy.

They finished in a three-way tie for eighth, but McHargue came out almost as happy as if he'd won.

“For me, it was just pure joy,” he said. “I might have been disappointed that we didn't make it, but I was just absolutely delighted that Tom and his teammates could make it. I couldn't have been happier.”

Meanwhile, Kent was out in Nepal, keeping track of Shypitka's progress on playdowns.com.

As soon as Shypitka, Richard, Tyler Orme and Chris Anderson won the B.C. championship on Feb. 7, Kent fired off a congratulatory e-mail.

“It had been a long time since we'd gotten together, and he was feeling a little bit of the victory when I'd won,” said Shypitka. “It brought back some good memories.”

He will have a cheering section on hand in Halifax as well, with wife Carrie and 20-year-old son Dustin.

While Dustin curled as a junior, his step mom's appreciation of the game isn't as refined.

“She gets a kick when they get the measuring stick out,” laughed Shypitka. “That's the funniest part of the game... She also gets a kick out of curlers who stretch before the game.”

The first draw of the tournament gets underway at noon MT tomorrow. Richard will be facing Jeff Stoughton of Manitoba, who happened to be at his first Brier in 1991 as well.

He's also one of Lynne Shypitka's favourites. Tom's mom will be in Cranbrook, watching alongside his dad Keith.

“She'll be torn, but hopefully I can disappoint her and win that game,” Shypitka said.

Team B.C. is back in action noon on Sunday against Ontario's Glenn Howard. At 4:30, they take on the Ian Fitzner-Leblanc foursome of Nova Scotia.