Eight Ends: Homan bounces back to win in Calgary
Hold the turkey and stuffing, the top curling teams were back on tour during the Canadian Thanksgiving long weekend.
Tuesday also marks deadline day for the National, the third event on the 2015-16 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling schedule. Previously a men’s invitational, the National has now expanded to also include a women’s field. With valuable points on the line to qualify for this major tournament, teams couldn’t risk taking the week off.
There will be belated Canadian Thanksgiving feasts for many teams, let’s dig into the top stories:
1st End: McEwen takes Stu Sells Toronto Tankard
Team Mike McEwen captured their second title of the season with a 5-1 victory Monday night over Team Glenn Howard in the men’s final of the Stu Sells Toronto Tankard.
McEwen made some exceptional shots to hold Howard to a single point as well as score a deuce to ice the game in the seventh end and bring out the handshakes.
On the women’s side, Wisconsin’s Team Erika Brown completed an undefeated 7-0 run following a 6-1 victory over Ottawa’s Rhonda Varnes.
Click here for the full recap.
Congrats to #StuSellsTO champs @mcewencurling pic.twitter.com/oVPqbg6Il6
— Jonathan Brazeau (@JonathanBrazeau) October 13, 2015
2nd End: Gushue doesn’t make the final
It was an uncharacteristic weekend for Team Brad Gushue at the Stu Sells Toronto Tankard.
The St. John’s rink had reached the final at all five events they had competed in, with three title wins, heading into this one but they sustained back-to-back losses for the first time all season and dropped to the C-side of the modified triple knockout tournament.
The 29-team field meant it was a much longer road with elimination on the line. Gushue recovered with wins over Jake Walker and former teammate Adam Casey to qualify, but ran into B-qualifier and eventual champion McEwen in the quarterfinals. McEwen won the match 6-4.
Team Gushue will look to recharge, taking this weekend off before hitting the road again the following week for the Challenge Chateau Cartier de Gatineau in Gatineau, Que.
3rd End: Homan wins Curlers Corner Autumn Gold Curling Classic
Team Homan overcame a 1-2 start in Calgary to win six consecutive games and claim the Curlers Corner Autumn Gold Curling Classic title Monday.
Homan fell to the C-side of the triple knockout tournament and bounced back finishing off with a 9-3 victory over hometown rink Team Chelsea Carey in the final.
The Ottawa-based rink has now earned three titles and reached four finals through four tournaments this season with the Masters (Oct. 27 to Nov. 1 in Truro, N.S.), an event Homan has won twice, next on their schedule.
That’s now also two straight runner-up finishes for Carey and her new team, who are starting to make some noise on the order of merit.
#ouch in the final but proud of @TeamCareyCurl for the scratch & claw mentality this weekend & 2 straight finals #kaizen #keepcalmcareyon
— Chelsea Carey (@chelseadcarey) October 13, 2015
4th End: Koe retains Direct Horizontal Drilling Fall Classic title
Elsewhere in Alberta, Kevin Koe successfully defended the Direct Horizontal Drilling Fall Classic title Monday in Edmonton.
Team Koe went 6-0 through the tournament capped with a 4-2 victory over Team Brendan Bottcher in the final.
That’s not only two Direct Horizontal Drilling Fall Classic titles in a row for Team Koe, but two consecutive championships on tour this season for the Calgary-based team. Koe captured the inaugural Tour Challenge Tier 1 men’s title in September.
Congrats to @TeamKevinKoe on winning this year’s @DHDFallClassic!! pic.twitter.com/mEx5q1SOCF
— DHD Fall Classic (@DHDFallClassic) October 12, 2015
5th End: Sidorova wows to win CCT’s Women’s Masters Basel
Russia’s Anna Sidorova picked up the Women’s Masters Basel title on the Curling Champions Tour Sunday in spectacular fashion.
Trailing by two in the final end with hammer, Sidorova made an amazing shot to count three and complete the comeback with a 7-6 victory over Silvana Tirinzoni of Switzerland.
Tirinzoni, who won the Tour Challenge Tier 1 women’s title in September, scored three in the third and stole one in four to lead 4-0 until Sidorova charged back with a deuce in five followed by a steal of two in the sixth to tie it up. Tirinzoni added another pair of points in seven to make it 6-4 coming home.
6th End: Christensen, Birr cash in at St. Paul spiel
Cory Christensen came out on top at the St. Paul Cash Spiel blanking Jamie Sinclair 6-0 in the women’s final Sunday. Todd Birr topped Heath McCormick’s team 6-2 in the men’s final.
7th End: The week ahead
No rest for Team McEwen, they’ll be back in action this weekend and attempt to defend the Canad Inns Men’s Classic title. Joining them in Portage la Prairie, Man., are Olympic gold medallists Team Brad Jacobs, reigning world champs Team Niklas Edin, plus Team Koe, Team Bottcher and more in another tournament featuring a deep field.
Elsewhere, the Hub International Crown of Curling takes place in Kamloops, B.C., the Stroud Sleeman Cash Spiel goes down in Stroud, Ont., the McKee Homes Fall Curling Classic is on in Airdrie, Alta., and the Atkins Curling Supplies Women’s Classic runs in Winnipeg.
8th End: Don’t miss the National
Single draw tickets are now available for the National, running Nov. 10-15 at the General Motors Centre in Oshawa, Ont. Click here to purchase your tickets today.