By Kevin Snow, European curling writer
For the second consecutive week, it was a European takeover in the heartland of Canadian curling.
After a championship win at the RBC Dominion Securities Western Showdown in Swift Current, Sask., last weekend, Team Silvana Tirinzoni of Switzerland trounced Japan’s Team Satsuki Fujisawa 7-1 to capture the women’s title in the Grand Slam of Curling’s HearingLife Canadian Open in Saskatoon.
Not to be outdone by their female counterparts, Switzerland’s Team Yannick Schwaller took home his first career Grand Slam victory on Sunday afternoon with a 7-4 win over Team Ross Whyte of Scotland to claim the men’s crown.
In addition to being the first Swiss sweep in Grand Slam history, it was the first time this season that both the men’s and women’s titles at one GSOC event were won by a European rink.
While the historic moment seemed to sneak up on Schwaller, the significance of the Swiss sweep wasn’t lost on the men’s skip.
"I’ve never thought about it that this can happen throughout the week, but all of a sudden we were there yesterday. We said to each other, 'Let's make history today,'" Schwaller explained after the final. "I’m happy for the women’s team that it worked out because they had three losses this year in a Slam final and then now both teams got it done and at the same time. It’s historic and it’s very cool for Switzerland."
You need to go back to the final two events of last season to find the last two occurrences of European sweeps at the GSOC. Tirinzoni was part of the first one when she was joined by Scotland’s Team Bruce Mouat to win the Players’ Championship in Toronto. One event prior, Whyte and Team Anna Hasselborg of Sweden were both victorious at the Masters in Guelph, Ont.
While three European sweeps in the last six GSOC events might seem impressive, they have been the exception rather than the norm. Going back to the start of the 2021-22 GSOC season, only four of the 24 events (17 per cent) played over the last five seasons have been won by both a men’s and women’s team from the European region.
| April 2022 | Players' Championship | Mouat/Hasselborg |
| Jan. 2025 | Masters | Whyte/Hasselborg |
| April 2025 | Players' Championship | Mouat/Tirinzoni |
| Dec. 2025 | Canadian Open | Schwaller/Tirinzoni |
The titles by Schwaller and Tirinzoni also increased Switzerland’s combined wins by country to eight, good for fourth all-time. Canada leads the way with 147, followed by Scotland (18) and Sweden (13). Italy holds down fifth spot with four, while the United States, Japan and South Korea each have one win apiece.
Here’s a look at how the European teams fared throughout the week.
MEN'S DIVISION (preliminary round record, standing; playoff results)
• Team Yannick Schwaller (SUI) (4-0, 12 points, second place) — defeated Team Muskatewitz 7-1 in quarterfinals; defeated Team Shuster 7-5 in semifinals; defeated Team Whyte 7-4 in championship final.
The win was the first career Grand Slam for Team Schwaller after two previous attempts, but the second win for fourth Benoit Schwarz-van Berkel. Having tasted victory before, he was excited to share that feeling with his teammates.
“I’m very happy for the guys. I don't know what to say. We've been trying for a couple of years now, had a few breaks, but this time it worked out,” said Schwarz-van Berkel. “We had a good week. We had the hammer throughout the playoffs, so that helped. I’m just very happy that we could manage to win one for the guys.”
• Team Bruce Mouat (SCO) (4-0, 12 points, first place) — defeated Team Retornaz 5-3 in quarterfinal, lost 6-4 to Team Whyte in semifinal.
• Team Ross Whyte (SCO) (3-1, nine points, fifth place) — defeated Team Jacobs 8-6 in quarterfinals; defeated Team Mouat 6-4 in semifinals; lost 7-4 to Team Schwaller in championship final.
• Team Marc Muskatewitz (GER) (2-2, seven points, seventh place) — lost 7-1 to Team Schwaller in quarterfinals (first GSOC playoff appearance of the season).
• Team Joel Retornaz (ITA) (2-2, six points, eighth place) — defeated Team Waddell 9-8 in tiebreaker; lost 5-3 to Team Mouat in quarterfinals.
• Team Kyle Waddell (SCO) (2-2, six points, ninth place) — lost to Team Retornaz 9-8 in tiebreaker.
• Team Niklas Edin (SWE) (2-2, six points, 10th place) — did not qualify for playoffs.
• Team Marco Hoesli (SUI) (0-4, zero points, 16th place) – did not qualify for playoffs.
WOMEN'S DIVISION (preliminary round record, standing; playoff results)
• Team Silvana Tirinzoni (SUI) (3-1, nine points, third place) — only European women’s team to advance to the playoff round; defeated Team Wang 7-4 in quarterfinals; defeated Team Yoshimura 5-4 in semifinals; defeated Team Fujisawa 7-1 in championship final; sixth career GSOC win and first of the year.
It’s been a remarkable run for Team Tirinzoni as they head into the holiday break, having reached five straight GSOC finals in a row dating back to their win at last season’s Players’ Championship in April.
“I think we all have to be proud about the first half of the season. It was amazing,” said Tirinzoni following the win. “I think we all need a little break, but still, we have a lot of energy from all those wins and great playing. I think yes, we are ready for a break, but it's not that we are that tired.”
• Team Anna Hasselborg (SWE) (2-2, six points, 10th place) — lost to Team Yoshimura 7-1 in tiebreaker.
• Team Stefania Constantini (ITA) (1-3, three points, 11th place) — did not qualify for playoffs.
• Team Xenia Schwaller (SUI) (1-3, three points, 13th place) — did not qualify for playoffs.
• Team Rebecca Morrison (SCO) (1-3, three points, 15th place) — did not qualify for playoffs.
TIER 2 NOTES
Team Magnus Ramsfjell of Norway won the Tier 2 men’s title with a high-scoring 9-6 victory over Switzerland’s Team Michael Brunner. With Ramsfjell leading 5-2 after the fourth, Brunner swung back with four in the fifth to take a 6-5 lead. Ramsfjell responded with three in the sixth and added one more on a steal in the eighth to close out the win.
This was the first time the HearingLife Canadian Open expanded to Tier 2 play for both the men and women. The preliminary round and playoffs took place 17 kilometres up the road in Martinsville, Sask., with the men’s and women’s championships moved to Saskatoon to play alongside the Tier 1 finals on the main ice at Merlis Belsher Place.
UP NEXT
The Crown Royal Players’ Championship is the fifth and final GSOC event on the 2025-26 calendar. It will take place from Jan. 6-11 at the Southeast Event Centre in Steinbach, Man.
This will also be the last chance for the qualified countries to prepare for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games that get underway Feb. 11 at Stadio Olimpico del Ghiaccio.
