The AMJ Shorty Jenkins Classic is now underway at the Cornwall Curling Centre in Cornwall, Ontario.

The event is one of the longest-running on tour and pays tribute to co-founder Shorty Jenkins, the legendary ice maker known as the "King of Swing."

New for this season, the AMJ Shorty Jenkins Classic is part of the GSOC Satellite Events series. The Grand Slam of Curling has partnered with established tour events to help teams qualify for berths into its tournaments.

Here's what you need to know for this weekend's event.

What's at stake?

Winners of the AMJ Shorty Jenkins Classic will qualify for the GSOC Co-op Invitational, Oct. 13-18, at Victoria's Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.

If the winning team has already qualified, the invitation will pass to the runner-up. If the runner-up has already qualified, the invitation will then be passed to the highest-placed semifinalist in the world rankings.

If all finalists and semifinalists have already qualified, the invitation will be offered to the highest-placed quarterfinalist in the world rankings, provided the team holds a world ranking of No. 32 or higher after points gained from the event are added.

Playoff-bound teams will also earn points toward qualification for the GSOC Players' Cup, Dec. 15-20, at Slush Puppie Place in Kingston, Ontario.

The Grand Slam of Curling's competition committee selected the first 12 men's and 12 women's teams for the GSOC Co-op Invitational. The Euro Super Series, held last month in Stirling, Scotland, was the first opportunity for teams to compete for qualifying berths. Scotland's Orrin Carson and Italy's Giulia Zardini Lacedelli earned entries for their teams as semifinalists.

The Karuizawa International, also being held this weekend in Japan, will qualify teams for the GSOC Co-op Invitational as well, with the Prestige Hotels and Resorts Curling Classic, Oct. 1-4 in Vernon, B.C., serving as the last chance to earn berths.

What's the format?

Both men's and women's divisions are split into pools for the preliminary round, which runs through to Saturday.

The top eight men's teams will advance to the quarterfinals. Seven teams will qualify for the playoffs on the women's side, with the top seed earning a bye to the semifinals.

Both finals are scheduled for Sunday.

Click here to see the draw schedule.

How can I watch?

Tickets are available online and at the door at the Cornwall Curling Centre (220 Water St E).

Livestreaming will be available via YourTV Cornwall on YouTube.

Which teams are playing in the event?

Men's Division: Asselin, Bedard, Benning, Camm, Casper*, Champ, Cordick, Epping, Hardie*, Hösli, S. Howard, King, Klima, Mooibroek, Morissette, Nicholls, Retornaz, Sobering, Young, Zisa

Women's Division: Armstrong, Black, Cameron, Cave, Cousins, Einarson*, Forsythe, Fortin, C. Howard, Hürlimann, Ideson, MacMillan*, Pätz*, Schwaller*, Skrlik, Ueno, Vivier, Zardini Lacedelli*

* = Team has already qualified for the GSOC Co-op Invitational.

Five teams to watch in the men's division

Scotland's Grant Hardie skips the highest-ranked men's team in the tournament at No. 3 in the world. After nine seasons with Bruce Mouat, Hardie is now calling the shots and throwing third stones alongside Ross Whyte, Craig Waddell and Euan Kyle. Hardie finished runner-up on home ice at the Euro Super Series during his debut event with his new club.

Danny Casper and his team from Chaska, Minnesota, are coming off a title victory this past weekend at the Stu Sells Oakville Tankard in Oakville, Ontario. Casper, No. 6 in the world rankings, saved his best for last, delivering a game-saving shot in the eighth end of the final to steal three and fend off Team Jordon McDonald 9-5.

John Epping is the event's defending champion and has won the men's title five times, but he brings a new Winnipeg-based lineup to the rink this time, featuring B.J. Neufeld, Ryan Wiebe and Ian McMillan. Epping, who lives in Toronto, just missed the playoffs in Oakville, losing to Joël Retornaz in the C-qualifiers.

That leads us to our next team to watch. Retornaz and his revamped Italian team (Stefano Gilli, Andrea Gilli and Alberto Pimpini) have already played four tournaments this season and have made the playoffs in all four. The team came close to qualifying for the GSOC Co-op Invitational during the Euro Super Series, but fell to Carson in the quarterfinals.

Marco Hösli and his Swiss squad were on a roll in Oakville, qualifying for the playoffs through the A-side at 4-0, until running into McDonald in the quarterfinals. At No. 12 in the world, Hösli is the highest-ranked team in the event on the outside looking in for the GSOC Co-op Invitational.

Five teams to watch in the women's division

Alina Pätz is off to a scorching start in her return to skip after spending the past eight seasons throwing fourth stones and handling vice duties for Silvana Tirinzoni. Pätz is 2-for-2 on tour with title wins in Stirling and Oakville. During her tenure with Team Tirinzoni, Pätz won the AMJ Shorty Jenkins Classic in 2023 and finished runner-up the following year.

Stirling and Oakville featured all-Swiss women's finals, with Pätz defeating Xenia Schwaller both times. Those two defeats are the only losses this season for the reigning world champion, with her team going undefeated to claim the KW Fall Classic title earlier this month in Waterloo, Ontario. Schwaller, No. 2 in the world rankings, also enters the AMJ Shorty Jenkins Classic as the defending champ. Could we see a third final between Pätz and Schwaller?

Five-time Canadian champion Kerri Einarson and her retooled roster reached the quarterfinals at the Saville Shootout last weekend in Edmonton to start their season. Shannon Birchard and Karlee Burgess have moved up to third and second, respectively, on the Gimli, Manitoba, club with Jocelyn Peterman joining at lead.

Kayla Skrlik is also coming off a playoff appearance on tour. Her new Calgary-based crew reached the quarterfinals in Oakville after qualifying A-side with three straight wins, including a 6-4 victory over Pätz. Her lineup this season features former skip Myla Plett plus Sarah Koltun and Samantha Fisher, who played together out of B.C. with Corryn Brown.

Corrie Hürlimann could make it three Swiss women's teams in the GSOC Co-op Invitational. Hürlimann has reached the playoffs in all three tournaments her team has played this season, including a semifinal finish in Oakville.