News Elite 10

Winnipeg, get ready for the return of the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling!

The series is pleased to announce Winnipeg will host this season’s Princess Auto Elite 10 running March 15-18, 2018, at St. James Civic Centre.

This marks the first Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling event in Winnipeg since the 2010 Canadian Open and the first in Manitoba since the 2014 Masters in Selkirk.

The Princess Auto Elite 10 kicks things into high gear heading into the final stretch of the 2017-18 season and features the top 10 men’s teams from around the world competing under unique match play rules.

In match play, teams attempt to win the most ends per game — rather than total points — and can achieve this by either scoring two or more points with the hammer or stealing at least one point without the hammer. Should the game remain tied following the conclusion of eight ends of play, a draw-to-the-button shootout will determine the winner.

While these rules are similar to the skins format, there is one major difference: points do not carry over during blank ends in match play as all ends are worth the same value.

The inaugural Elite 10 was held in Fort McMurray, Alta., in 2015 and was the first new Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling event since the series started in 2001-02. Winnipeg’s own Team McEwen was crowned as the first champion defeating Team Edin in the final.

Team Gushue captured the title in 2016 in Victoria by edging Team Carruthers in a thrilling shootout finale. Team Morris enters as the reigning champion after topping Team Jacobs to take the trophy this past season in Port Hawkesbury, N.S.

A $100,000 purse is on the line at the Princess Auto Elite 10 as well as points towards the Bonus Cup, awarded to the season champion and carrying an additional $75,000 prize for the winner.

Ticket information will be announced in the near future, keep it here at thegrandslamofcurling.com for updates as you don’t want to miss this one-of-a-kind event.