Team Jones shifts focus to Players’ Championship
SYDNEY, N.S. — Jennifer Jones’s title defence at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts may have ended early, but her season is far from over.
Jones and her Winnipeg-based team now turn their attention to the Players’ Championship taking place April 9-14 at Ryerson’s Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto.
Teams are invited to the prestigious Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling event based on the World Curling Tour’s year-to-date standings as of March 11. Jones is currently ranked No. 5 and pretty much a lock to receive one of the 12 exclusive invitations for the women’s division.
“We have some time off until the Players’ but we love that event,” Team Jones third Kaitlyn Lawes said. “It’s one of our favourite events to play in and it’s a big one for us. We’re going to want to take some time and regroup, figure out what went wrong this week.”
The Players’ Championship has brought out the best in Jones, especially over the past three seasons with her team reaching the final all three times. Jones won her record sixth Players’ Championship women’s title in 2017 with runner-up results in 2016 and 2018.
“We’re going to try and make that our world championship,” said Lawes, who has won three Players’ Championship titles during her tenure with Jones. “We’re going to try and come out firing at that event.”
Tracy Fleury, who lost in a tiebreaker and did not make the Championship Pool, is also looking forward to the Players’ Championship and closing out a fine first season with her Manitoba team.
“We love the Players’,” Fleury said. “I think that’ll be a good finale to our season.”
The Pinty’s Cup will also be awarded to the season’s overall champion. Although Jones and Fleury are out of the running to finish first overall, the top four teams in the standings actually earn bonus prize money and both could receive extra paycheques.
All-event and weekend passes plus single-draw tickets are now available for the Players’ Championship, CLICK HERE to purchase your tickets online or call 1-844-389-4754.
A full draw schedule of matches will be released after the 12 men’s teams and 12 women’s teams have been determined.
