Flaxey, Edin earn Humpty’s Champions Cup spots
Allison Flaxey and Niklas Edin are the first to join defending champs Jennifer Jones and Reid Carruthers for the 2017 Humpty’s Champions Cup field.
Flaxey and Edin qualified for the season-ending Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling tournament by winning the opening event of the year, the 2016 WFG Masters, this past weekend in Okotoks, Alta.
Flaxey, of Caledon, Ont., and Edin, of Sweden, both earned their first career Grand Slam titles at the WFG Masters.
Flaxey defeated three-time Masters winner Rachel Homan of Ottawa 6-3 in the women’s final while Edin stole a point in an extra end to edge Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., 5-4., on the men’s side.
Team Flaxey second Lynn Kreviazuk said it’s a relief to lock up a place in the Humpty’s Champions Cup early.
“We’ve played in two finals already and unfortunately came out on the wrong side so we were wondering when we were even going to have that chance to make it to the Champions Cup,” she said. “We competed in the inaugural Champions Cup last year and had a blast so we’re really excited to clinch that spot.”
Edin is off to an impressive start to the season winning four tour titles already, however, the WFG Masters win solidified his Humpty’s Champions Cup berth.
“It kind of felt like it already was [clinched] with a couple of the other wins we had, but now really securing that spot and securing all the Slams this season, most certainly qualifying for worlds as well now, it feels really good,” He said. “We have everything set up perfectly now and now just have to keep executing.”
“It feels very good to secure all of the Slams,” added third Oskar Eriksson. “Now we’ve won four events so far this year and qualified for all we’ve played, all seven, so we’ve got a lot of points right now. We should be good for all of the events we want to play this year.”
Edin and Flaxey can now start booking their flights back through YYC with the Humpty’s Championship Cup wrapping up the 2016-17 campaign at WinSport Arena in Calgary running April 25-30.
A total of 15 men’s teams and 15 women’s teams will compete in the Humpty’s Champions Cup. Teams must win one of the events listed below in order to qualify.
2017 HUMPTY’S CHAMPIONS CUP QUALIFIED FIELD
Note: In the event that a team wins two of the events listed (e.g. a team wins the Masters and the National) the winner of the next ranked WCT event based on strength of field will be invited to complete the 15-team field.
