Tirinzoni tops Wrana to take Princess Auto Players’ Championship women’s title
TORONTO — The third time was the charm this season for Silvana Tirinzoni and her squad from Switzerland.
Appearing in their third consecutive Grand Slam of Curling women’s final, and looking to avoid a third consecutive runners-up result, Tirinzoni ensured her club headed into the off-season on a high note by claiming the Princess Auto Players’ Championship trophy with a 6-5 victory Sunday over Sweden’s Team Isabella Wranå at the Mattamy Athletic Centre.
It’s the fourth career Grand Slam title and first in the crown jewel event of the series for Tirinzoni, who throws third stones and is supported by fourth Alina Pätz, second Selina Witschonke and lead Carole Howald.
“Since we started playing Grand Slams, that’s the big one,” Tirinzoni said. “You want to win any Slam but this one in particular. It took us like a long time, but here we are and it’s very enjoyable.”
Pätz, who has been along for the ride for three of those title wins now, said earlier it would mean to world to win the Players’ Championship title and a dream come true. Now that the dream is a reality, Pätz said it feels amazing.
“It’s indescribable,” she said. “We work so hard all season and to finish the season like that is crazy for us. We lost so many finals this year, so it’s for sure nice to win this.”
Howald won a Grand Slam with the team last season, but it’s the first for Witschonke, who just joined Team Tirinzoni at the start of the 2023-24 campaign.
“It’s great to have her on the team,” Pätz said. “She’s an amazing player. She did so well all season. She’s still very young, so she has a lot to come. I’m very happy for her that she could finally win her first Slam.”
Tirinzoni lost to Canada’s Team Rachel Homan in the WFG Masters and Co-op Canadian Open finals as well as the world championship gold medal game leading into the Grand Slam season finale. The top two teams in the world met once more during Saturday’s semifinals, and Tirinzoni came out on a top this time with a steal of two points in the eighth end to edge Homan 5-3.
That set the table for a rematch of last year’s Players’ Championship women’s final although this was no rerun with the script flipped.
“We were in so many finals, so I think like we didn’t win enough, actually, but it’s so tough to win any,” Tirinzoni said. “Any Slam you add to that number is fantastic.”
Team Tirinzoni won the draw-to-the-button shootout to secure hammer, and Pätz converted with a hit and stick for two points in the second end to open the scoring.
Wranå made a double in the third that almost gave up a steal as both her shooter and the raised rock sat around the edge of the four-foot circle. Although it was close, Wranå escaped with a single point to make it 2-1.
Team Tirinzoni’s strong first half continued into the fourth as Wranå needed to make a double takeout to limit the damage. The shooter grazed across the top of the second stone though, allowing Pätz to draw for another deuce and a 4-1 lead heading into the break.
It was a close call in the fifth as Wranå wrecked on her own guard, but her shooter managed to roll through the house and hang on at the back edge of the eight-foot circle to save shot rock. Wranå picked up another point for a deuce after a measure to draw within one.
“We had a terrible fifth end, we burned a rock [and] the setup wasn’t good,” Tirinzoni said. “In games like this, there’s no tolerance for errors otherwise they’re going to score three or two on you. We were lucky actually a little bit that they didn’t score three. You have to stay focused for all eight ends otherwise it’s going to get close.”
The plot thickened in the sixth as Wranå sat two counters, and Pätz needed to hit and roll in. Her shooter stuck, however, to give up a steal that made it all square.
Team Tirinzoni regrouped in the seventh and capitalized with Wranå sitting two tight together. That allowed Pätz to bump them both and score the go-ahead deuce.
Wranå had a tough shot for the equalizer in the eighth to send it into an extra end as she needed to hit off and in to make a takeout plus save her shooter. She went for it anyway, with lead Linda Stenlund losing her balance and her broom, but only nudged Tirinzoni’s rock far enough for one point as the shooter rolled away.
“I think we outplayed them in the first four ends but then we struggled a bit in the second half, so it almost slipped away in the second half,” Pätz said. “We just made enough shots to win.”
Wranå, who earned her first career Grand Slam title with the win over Tirinzoni in last year’s final, is supported by third Almida de Val, second Maria Larsson and Stenlund.
Canada’s Team Brad Gushue and Italy’s Team Joël Retornaz meet in the men’s final at 2:30 p.m. ET / 11:30 a.m. PT on Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet+ (Canada) and gsoclive.com (international).
