Rama, ON – In front of a hometown crowd, reigning World Champion Glenn Howard of Midland, ON was crowned champion at THE DOMINION ALL-STAR CURLING SKINS GAME Presented by Pinty's, taking home a total of $51,500 in prize money at the first-ever All-Star event that featured Canada's top 16 men's curlers – as voted by fans. Howard defeated Alberta's Kevin Koe in the Final on Sunday at Casino Rama in Rama, ON.
Playing with an All-Star team featuring John Morris (Third), Carter Rycroft (Second), and Steve Gould (Lead), this marks Howard's second victory at a TSN skins game after also winning the event in 2001. Howard's prize money from this weekend totals $51,500, which includes $22,000 won in today's final, plus $14,500 won in yesterday's semifinal, and a $15,000 bonus for winning the entire tournament.
Koe's All-Star team included B.J. Neufeld (Third), Brent Laing (Second), and Ben Hebert (Lead). Koe takes home $20,000 from today's Final for a total of $38,500 in prize money won over the two-day event. Koe's career TSN skins game winnings now total $90,400.
Koe was on the score board first, stealing the opening skin worth $2,000 and taking the $5,000 skin with the hammer in the third end following a carry-over. Howard ended Koe's shut out with skins in the fourth ($3,000) and sixth ($10,000) ends. The hometown favourite secured his victory with a $9,000 skin in the seventh end for a game total of $22,000. A carry-over in the eighth end resulted in a draw to the button finish, which saw Koe win the $13,000 skin for a game total of $20,000.
Howard advanced to the Final of THE DOMINION ALL-STAR CURLING SKINS GAME Presented by Pinty's after defeating Kevin Martin in the Semifinal #2 last night, while Koe earned a spot in the Final after defeating Jeff Stoughton in the first Semifinal game held yesterday afternoon.
Overall results from THE DOMINION ALL-STAR CURLING SKINS GAME Presented by Pinty's are as follows:
• Team Howard: $51,500 ($36,500 in skins prize money + $15,000 winner's bonus)
• Team Koe: $38,500 ($37,500 in skins prize money + $1,000 draw to the button bonus)
• Team Martin: $6,500
• Team Stoughton: $3,500
Following this weekend's event, Martin remains the TSN skins game all-time leader in prize money, having won a record $426,350. Stoughton's career TSN skins game winnings now total $38,000.
