# Rich Ruohonen

Richard Ruohonen (born March 31, 1971) is an American curler 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. 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. Ruohonen's team lost to John Shuster in the final, with a score of 8–4.
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.

## Personal life

Ruohonen is an American personal injury lawyer. 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.
He is married to Sherry, with two children. He started curling in 1981.

## Teams

| Season | Skip | Third | Second | Lead | Alternate | Coach | Events |
| 2003–04 | Rich Ruohonen | Jeff Laundergan | John Benton | Pete Annis | | | 2004 USMCC (9th) |
| 2004–05 | Rich Ruohonen | Nick Myers | John Benton | Pete Annis | | Jim Dexter | 2005 USMCC/USOCT (5th) |
| 2005–06 | Rich Ruohonen | Nick Myers | John Benton | Pete Annis | | | 2006 US World Trials (5th) |
| 2006–07 | Rich Ruohonen | Troy Schroeder | John Benton | Pete Annis | | | 2007 USMCC (8th) |
| 2007–08 | Craig Brown | Rich Ruohonen | John Dunlop | Pete Annis | Kevin Kakela (WMCC) | Steve Brown | 2008 USMCC 2008 WMCC (7th) |
| 2008–09 | Craig Brown | Rich Ruohonen | John Dunlop | Pete Annis | | | 2009 USMCC/USOCT (4th) |
| 2009–10 | Craig Brown | Rich Ruohonen | Zach Jacobson | Pete Annis | | | 2010 USMCC (5th) |
| 2010–11 | Tyler George | Chris Plys | Rich Ruohonen | Phill Drobnick | | | 2011 USMCC |
| 2011–12 | Tyler George | Chris Plys | Rich Ruohonen | Colin Hufman | | | 2012 USMCC (8th) |
| 2012–13 | Chris Plys (fourth) | Tyler George (skip) | Rich Ruohonen | Colin Hufman | | | 2013 USMCC |
| 2013–14 | Chris Plys (fourth) | Tyler George (skip) | Rich Ruohonen | Colin Hufman | Craig Brown | | 2013 USOCT (4th) |
| 2013–14 | Heath McCormick | Chris Plys | Rich Ruohonen | Colin Hufman | | | 2014 USMCC |
| 2014–15 | Mike Farbelow | Rich Ruohonen | Kevin Johnson | Dan Ruehl | | | |
| 2015–16 | Mike Farbelow | Rich Ruohonen | Chris Bond | Dan Ruehl | | | |
| 2016–17 | Todd Birr | Rich Ruohonen | John Benton | Tom O'Connor | | | 2017 USMCC |
| 2017–18 | Heath McCormick | Chris Plys | Korey Dropkin | Tom Howell | Rich Ruohonen | | 2017 USOCT (2nd) |
| 2017–18 | Greg Persinger (fourth) | Rich Ruohonen (skip) | Colin Hufman | Philip Tilker | Chris Plys (WMCC) | Phill Drobnick | 2018 USMCC 2018 WMCC (6th) |
| 2018–19 | Greg Persinger (fourth) | Rich Ruohonen (skip) | Colin Hufman | Philip Tilker | Jared Allen | | 2019 USMCC |
| 2018–19 | Greg Persinger (fourth) | Rich Ruohonen (skip) | Sean Beighton | Kroy Nernberger | | Phill Drobnick | CWC/1 (6th) |
| 2019–20 | Rich Ruohonen | Greg Persinger | Colin Hufman | Philip Tilker | Kroy Nernberger | | 2020 USMCC |
| 2020–21 | Rich Ruohonen | Andrew Stopera | Colin Hufman | Philip Tilker | Kroy Nernberger | | 2021 USMCC (7th) |
| 2021–22 | Rich Ruohonen | Andrew Stopera | Colin Hufman | Kroy Nernberger | Philip Tilker | | |
| 2021–22 | Korey Dropkin | Andrea Stopera | Mark Fenner | Tom Howell | Rich Ruohonen | Mark Lazar | 2022 PCCC |
| 2023–24 | Rich Ruohenen | Jason Smith | Samuel Strouse | Jared Allen | Aidan Oldenburg | | 2024 USMCC (8th) |
| 2024–25 | Daniel Casper | Luc Violette | Ben Richardson | Aidan Oldenburg | Rich Ruohonen | | 2025 USMCC |

## 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 | 2022–23 | 2023–24 | 2024–25 |
| 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 | DNP | DNP | T2 |
| Masters | Q | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | Q | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | N/A | Q | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Champions Cup | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | DNP | DNP | QF | DNP | N/A | DNP | DNP | DNP | N/A | N/A |