Breakdown of 2016-17 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling schedule
It’s never too early to start thinking about next year, here’s a full breakdown of the 2016-17 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling tour.
Our new season kicks off in Okotoks, Alta., with the WFG Masters, running Oct. 25-30 at the Pason Centennial Arena.
Cranbrook, B.C., will be the stop for the Tour Challenge, featuring two tiers of action with 60 teams in total. This past season saw the debut of the Tour Challenge with Jim Cotter of Vernon, B.C., and Winnipeg’s Kerri Einarson winning the Tier 2 titles to help bump their teams into the top ranks on tour.
The series then lands back in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., for the National. Sault Ste. Marie hosted the National in November 2014 when it was a men’s invitational, but things have changed greatly for the event since then as it has now doubled in size featuring both men’s and women’s fields.
Saskatchewan has held the past two Canadian Open tournaments in Yorkton and the event stays put in the province travelling to North Battleford to open the new year. The Canadian Open features a triple knockout preliminary rather than round-robin play where teams must win three games before they lose three in order to qualify for the playoffs.
Tickets are already available for the WFG Masters, Tour Challenge, National, and Canadian Open, visit thegrandslamofcurling.com/tickets for more details.
Port Hawkesbury, N.S., has been a regular stop on tour in previous years and the series returns for the Elite 10, featuring the unique match play format where teams attempt to take the most ends per game to win.
Toronto will host the Players’ Championship for the third consecutive season and fourth time in five years. The Players’ Championship is the longest-running event on the Pinty’s GSOC schedule and the crown jewel of the series.
The season comes full circle to wrap up the season returning to Alberta for the 2017 Humpty’s Champions Cup taking place at WinSport Arena at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary.
Owned and operated by Sportsnet since 2012, the Pinty’s GSOC is an elite series of men’s and women’s curling events which are part of the World Curling Tour and feature the best teams from across Canada and around the world.
Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling 2016-17 schedule