Team Manitoba, who was skipped by Kerry Burtnyk won the Brier tankard as they defeated Northern Ontario, skipped by Al Hackner in the final 5–4. Manitoba advanced to the final after beating Saskatchewan in the semifinal 5–4. This was Manitoba's twenty-first Brier championship and the first of two skipped by Burtnyk. At 22 years, 3 months, and 15 days, Burtnyk became the youngest skip to ever win a Brier[2] surpassing Hec Gervais' record by nearly five years when he won the 1961 Brier.
The event set a record for the most extra end games in a single Brier as fourteen games went to an extra end breaking the record of eleven set in 1976. This remains a record and would only be matched in 1990.[3]
Ontario was awarded the bye into the second tiebreaker round based on head-to-head victories over both British Columbia and Saskatchewan in the round robin.[6]
The Ross Harstone Award was presented to the player chosen by their fellow peers as the curler who best represented Harstone's high ideals of good sportsmanship, observance of the rules, exemplary conduct and curling ability.[8][7]
Alberta skip, Mel Watchorn became the first player to win the Harstone Award twice after previously winning the award in 1973.
