News Champions Cup

Calgary’s Kevin Koe and Silvana Tirinzoni of Switzerland already know how they’ll be wrapping up the 2015-16 curling year.

The two rinks were victorious this past weekend at the Pinty’s GSOC Tour Challenge event in Paradise, N.L., and are the first to qualify for the season-ending Champions Cup. The second of two new events on the Pinty’s GSOC schedule, the Champions Cup runs April 26 to May 1, 2016, at the Sherwood Park Arena Sports Centre in Sherwood Park, Alta.

Koe took home the Tour Challenge Tier 1 men’s title in the extra end over Brad Gushue of St. John’s while Tirinzoni celebrated a stunning upset stealing in the eighth to top Ottawa’s Rachel Homan for her first series title in the Tour Challenge Tier 1 women’s division.

Team Tirinzoni had already marked the Champions Cup on their calendars, so winning the first Pinty’s GSOC event of the season came as a relief knowing they’ll be going for sure.

“When we set up our schedule we already put it in so we said, ‘Okay we have to win a Grand Slam this year,’” Tirinzoni said. “We’re just happy that we won the first one so we now know we can go.”

Team Koe third Marc Kennedy of St. Albert, Alta., is looking forward to playing an event in his own backyard.

“It’s an event we wanted to play in and to wrap a spot this early in the year it takes a little bit of pressure off and we’re really looking forward to it,” Kennedy said. “That’s really close to home for me in Sherwood Park so it’ll be a good time.”

The Champions Cup features all of the men’s and women’s winners on the Pinty’s GSOC season plus champions from select events including the Tim Hortons Brier, Scotties Tournament of Hearts and world championships. The inaugural Champions Cup is sure to feature an epic showdown among the curling elite with a $200,000 total purse on the line.