Rich Ruohonen
Curler
Born (1971-03-31) March 31, 1971[1]
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Team
Curling clubSt. Paul CC,
St. Paul, MN
SkipRich Ruohonen
ThirdAndrew Stopera
SecondColin Hufman
LeadKroy Nernberger
AlternatePhil Tilker
Mixed doubles
partner		Jamie Sinclair
Curling career
Member Association United States
World Championship
appearances		2 (2008, 2018)
Pan Continental Championship
appearances		1 (2022)
Medal record
Curling
Pan Continental Curling Championships
Bronze medal – third place2022 Calgary
United States Men's Curling Championship
Gold medal – first place 2008 Hibbing
Gold medal – first place 2018 Fargo
Silver medal – second place 2011 Fargo
Silver medal – second place 2013 Green Bay
Silver medal – second place 2017 Everett
Silver medal – second place 2019 Kalamazoo
Silver medal – second place 2020 Cheney
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Philadelphia

Richard Ruohonen (born March 31, 1971) is an American curler[2] from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. He is a two-time national champion and as such represented the United States at the 2008 and 2018 World Men's Curling Championships.

Career

Ruohonen made his first appearance at the United States Men's Championship in 1998.[2] He won his first national championship in 2008, playing third for skip Craig Brown. As Team United States at the 2008 World Men's Championship, they finished the round-robin with 5–6 record, missing the playoffs and ending the tournament in seventh place.

Ruohonen would lose the US Nationals final three times, in 2011, 2013, and 2017, before again earning the gold medal in 2018. His 2018 gold medal team included Greg Persinger, Colin Hufman, and Philip Tilker. At the World Championship they finished in sixth place when they lost their first playoff game to Brad Gushue's Team Canada.

In 2019 when Ruohonen returned to the national championship to attempt to defend his title, he brought along Jared Allen, retired NFL player, as an alternate.[3] Ruohonen's team lost to John Shuster in the final, with a score of 8–4.[4]

At the 2020 United States Men's Championship Ruohonen made it to the finals for the fourth year in a row, facing John Shuster for the third time out of those four years and, as happened in 2017 and 2019, Shuster prevailed to win the championship.[5]

Personal life

Ruohonen is an American personal injury lawyer.[6] In 2001 he was fellow curler Jason Larway's attorney when they filed a grievance with the United States Olympic Committee and the United States Curling Association over Larway's eligibility to compete at the 2001 United States Olympic Curling Trials.[7]

He is married to Sherry, with two children. He started curling in 1981.[2]

Teams

Season Skip Third Second Lead Alternate Coach Events
2003–04 Rich RuohonenJeff LaunderganJohn BentonPete Annis2004 USMCC (9th)
2004–05 Rich RuohonenNick MyersJohn BentonPete AnnisJim Dexter2005 USMCC/USOCT (5th)
2005–06 Rich RuohonenNick MyersJohn BentonPete Annis2006 US World Trials (5th)
2006–07 Rich RuohonenTroy SchroederJohn BentonPete Annis2007 USMCC (8th)
2007–08 Craig BrownRich RuohonenJohn DunlopPete AnnisKevin Kakela (WMCC)Steve Brown2008 USMCC 1st place, gold medalist(s)
2008 WMCC (7th)
2008–09 Craig BrownRich RuohonenJohn DunlopPete Annis2009 USMCC/USOCT (4th)
2009–10 Craig BrownRich RuohonenZach JacobsonPete Annis2010 USMCC (5th)
2010–11 Tyler GeorgeChris PlysRich RuohonenPhill Drobnick2011 USMCC 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
2011–12 Tyler GeorgeChris PlysRich RuohonenColin Hufman2012 USMCC (8th)
2012–13 Chris Plys (fourth)Tyler George (skip)Rich RuohonenColin Hufman2013 USMCC 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
2013–14 Chris Plys (fourth)Tyler George (skip)Rich RuohonenColin HufmanCraig Brown2013 USOCT (4th)
Heath McCormickChris PlysRich RuohonenColin Hufman2014 USMCC 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
2014–15[8] Mike FarbelowRich RuohonenKevin JohnsonDan Ruehl
2015–16[9] Mike FarbelowRich RuohonenChris BondDan Ruehl
2016–17 Todd BirrRich RuohonenJohn BentonTom O'Connor2017 USMCC 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
2017–18 Heath McCormickChris PlysKorey DropkinTom HowellRich Ruohonen2017 USOCT (2nd)
Greg Persinger (fourth)Rich Ruohonen (skip)Colin HufmanPhilip TilkerChris Plys
(WMCC)		Phill Drobnick2018 USMCC 1st place, gold medalist(s)
2018 WMCC (6th)
2018–19 Greg Persinger (fourth)Rich Ruohonen (skip)Colin HufmanPhilip TilkerJared Allen2019 USMCC 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
Greg Persinger (fourth)Rich Ruohonen (skip)Sean BeightonKroy NernbergerPhill DrobnickCWC/1 (6th)
2019–20 Rich RuohonenGreg PersingerColin HufmanPhilip TilkerKroy Nernberger2020 USMCC 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
2020–21 Rich RuohonenAndrew StoperaColin HufmanPhilip TilkerKroy Nernberger2021 USMCC (7th)
2021–22 Rich RuohonenAndrew StoperaColin HufmanKroy NernbergerPhilip Tilker

Grand Slam record

Key
C Champion
F Lost in Final
SF Lost in Semifinal
QF Lost in Quarterfinals
R16 Lost in the round of 16
Q Did not advance to playoffs
T2 Played in Tier 2 event
DNP Did not participate in event
N/A Not a Grand Slam event that season
Event 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22
Masters Q DNP DNP DNP DNP Q DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP N/A Q
Tour Challenge N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A DNP DNP DNP QF T2 N/A N/A
Champions Cup N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A DNP DNP QF DNP N/A DNP DNP

References

  1. ↑ Rich Ruohonen | Curlingzone
  2. 1 2 3 "Rich Ruohonen". United States Curling Association. Archived from the original on January 1, 2016. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Bemidji trio set for USA Curling National Championships". The Bemidji Pioneer. February 7, 2019. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Olympic champ John Shuster wins 7th national curling title". The Associated Press. February 16, 2019. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  5. ↑ Schneider, Angela (2020-02-15). "John Shuster caps unbeaten run through USA Curling Nationals with win over Rich Ruohonen in final". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 2020-02-19.
  6. ↑ "ATTORNEY PROFILE Top Rated Personal Injury - Plaintiff Attorney in Bloomington, MN". superlawyers.com. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Grievance filed by champion curlers". Daily Herald. June 23, 2001. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Farbelow 2–3 at 2015 U.S. Open of Curling". CurlingZone. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Farbelow 4–3 at US Men's Challenge Round". CurlingZone. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
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