A spot in the GSOC Masters is up for grabs this weekend at the Autumn Gold Curling Classic.
The GSOC Masters, Nov. 3-8 in Medicine Hat, Alberta, is the season's second Grand Slam of Curling event, but that's not the only connection here to the top-flight series.
The Autumn Gold Curling Classic will also serve as a final tune-up for some teams that are making the quick trip right after to the GSOC Co-op Invitational, Oct. 13-18 in Victoria.
Here's a rundown of what you need to know as the women's event runs Thursday through to Sunday.
What's at stake?
The Autumn Gold Curling Classic winner will qualify for the GSOC Masters. The Grand Slam of Curling event features 16 teams in the men’s and women’s divisions: the top 12 teams from the world rankings, two sponsors' exemptions and two Satellite qualifiers.
If the winning team is in the top 12 of the world rankings, the Grand Slam of Curling will reallocate the Autumn Gold qualifier berth to the highest-finishing eligible team from the event that is not in the top 12.
The Autumn Gold Curling Classic will qualify one women's team for the GSOC Masters, while the Saville U25 Challenge, Oct. 16-19 in Edmonton, will determine the final spots in both divisions.
Team Matt Dunstone won the Okotoks Classic two weekends ago to guarantee a place for his men's club.
Teams that advance to the playoffs in Satellite Events will earn points toward qualification for the GSOC Players' Cup, Dec. 15-20, at Slush Puppie Place in Kingston, Ontario.
What's the format?
The 28 teams will compete in a triple knockout preliminary round. Simply put, three losses and you're out.
Two A-qualifiers, two B-qualifiers and four C-qualifiers will advance to the playoffs.
How can I watch?
Livestreaming will be available on CurlingZone's YouTube page.
Which teams are playing in the event?
• Ackerman (Saskatoon, SK)
• Daniels (New Westminster, BC)
• Einarson (Gimli, MB)
• Gim (Uijeongbu, KOR)
• Hasselborg (Sundbyberg, SWE)
• Hürlimann (Zug, SUI)
• Inglis (Whitby, ON)
• Kang (Jeonbuk, KOR)
• Kim (Seoul, KOR)
• Kitazawa (Nagano, JPN)
• Kobayashi (Sapporo, JPN)
• A. Koe (Calgary, AB)
• L. Koe (Calgary, AB)
• Lloyd (Whitby, ON)
• Miura (Sapporo, JPN)
• Nihira (Sapporo, JPN)
• Njegovan (Winnipeg, MB)
• Pätz (Geneva, SUI)
• Reese-Hansen (Victoria, BC)
• Richards (Edmonton, AB)
• Schwaller (Zurich, SUI)
• Selkirk (Calgary, AB)
• Skrlik (Calgary, AB)
• Sluchinski (Edmonton, AB)
• Sturmay (Edmonton, AB)
• Ueno (Karuizawa, JPN)
• Wranå (Sundbyberg, SWE)
• Wyatt (Calgary, AB)
Teams to watch
It has been a near-perfect start to the season for Switzerland's Alina Pätz in her return to skipping. Pätz is second in the year-to-date rankings with three title wins in three Satellite tournaments: the Euro Super Series, Stu Sells Oakville Tankard and AMJ Shorty Jenkins Classic.
What are the odds it will be another all-Swiss final between Pätz and Team Xenia Schwaller? It's already happened three times, with Pätz winning all three meetings. The reigning world champion Schwaller has actually played in four finals this season, winning the KW Fall Classic with a victory over Team Kira Brunton.
It's the season debut for Anna Hasselborg and her Swedish squad. After winning a second gold medal at the Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina, Hasselborg is looking to run it back.
While Hasselborg has been idle, fellow Swede Isabella Wranå and her team have been victorious on the road, winning the Oslo Cup and Karuizawa International titles.
Eun-ji Gim is the four-time reigning champion at the Autumn Gold Curling Classic and tops the year-to-date rankings. Her South Korean club just won the Prestige Hotels and Resorts Curling Classic this past weekend.
World silver medallist Kerri Einarson is also a past champion, with back-to-back Autumn Gold wins in 2018 and 2019. Her revamped team has two quarterfinal finishes this season at the Saville Shootout and AMJ Shorty Jenkins Classic tournaments.
No, you're not seeing double (unless you're seeing four Koe teams). Both Ava and Lila Koe, daughters of two-time world and four-time Brier champ Kevin Koe, are skipping teams in the tournament.
