24 teams in 24 days — Day 14: Team Stern
We’re profiling all 24 teams, one per day, to get ready for the return of the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling leading up to the start of the Humpty’s Champions Cup.
Day 14: Team Stern
Lineup: Elena Stern (skip, third stones), Briar Hürlimann (vice skip, fourth stones), Lisa Gisler (second), Céline Koller (lead)
Home club: CC Oberwallis; Brig-Glis, Switzerland
Stern has stayed put in the top ranks ever since winning the Tour Challenge Tier 2 women’s title in 2018. Team Stern made their Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling debut at that event in Thunder Bay, Ont., and finished with a 6-1 record including a 6-5 victory over Team Yoshimura in the final to secure the championship plus a promotion.
The team competed in all four Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling events last season and qualified for the playoffs at the Masters in North Bay, Ont., and the BOOST National in Conception Bay South, N.L.
Stern had a stellar 2019-20 season overall winning four titles including an undefeated 10-0 run through the Swiss curling championship. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the team was unable to represent Switzerland at the women’s worlds as the event was cancelled.
Team Stern, No. 6 in the women’s world curling team rankings, finished runners-up to Team Tirinzoni in the Swiss curling championship in February.
The Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling returns with the Humpty’s Champions Cup, April 14-18, followed by the Princess Auto Players’ Championship, April 20-25. Both events will be played at Calgary’s WinSport Arena and closed to the general public. Watch live coverage on Sportsnet, stay tuned for the broadcast schedule.