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Einarson earns Pinty’s Cup after reaching Princess Auto Players’ Championship semifinals

TORONTO — Canada’s Kerri Einarson clinched her first-ever Pinty’s Cup after advancing to the semifinals of the Princess Auto Players’ Championship.

Einarson just needed to edge Japan’s Satsuki Fujisawa 6-5 in an extra end during Saturday’s quarterfinals at Mattamy Athletic Centre to earn enough points to secure the season title in the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling series.

It’s been a phenomenal 2022-23 for Einarson, who reached the final in all four previous Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling events this season. Her streak actually stretches to six straight events in the series starting with last year’s Princess Auto Players’ Championship.

The top four teams in the final standings receive bonus payouts with Team Einarson earning $75,000 for finishing first. The rest of the top four is still to be determined with plenty still on the line.

Einarson will play Sweden’s Isabella Wranå in the semifinals. Wranå held a bye after finishing within the top two of the round-robin standings.

Elsewhere in the quarterfinals, Switzerland’s Silvana Tirinzoni topped Tabitha of the United States 7-5 while Calgary’s Kevin Koe beat Winnipeg’s Matt Dunstone 5-3 and Switzerland’s Yannick Schwaller defeated Sweden’s Niklas Edin 6-5.

Tirinzoni now takes on South Korea’s Eun-Ji Gim, Koe clashes with Brad Gushue in an all-Canadian game and Schwaller goes up against Italy’s Joël Retornaz.

UP NEXT

The men’s and women’s semifinals start at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT on Sportsnet and SN NOW.

Both finals are scheduled for Sunday.