Dec 20, 2016
WCT/CCT Recap: Brewster, Gim win in Japan
Scotland's Tom Brewster and Un-Chi Gim of South Korea were the big winners this week on the World Curling Tour, taking the Karuizawa International in Japan.
TSN.ca Staff
Men's Tour
Karuizawa International from Karuizawa, Japan
Dec 15-18, 2016
Purse: $2,500,000 yen
Scotland's Tom Brewster won his first event of the season as his foursome of third Glen Muirhead, second Ross Paterson and lead Hammy McMillan Jr. beat fellow native of Scotland David Murdoch, 4-3, in the final of the Karuizawa International in Japan.
Team Brewster did not lose a game over the four-day event and beat John Morris of British Columbia in the semi-finals, 7-6. Team Morris, the only Canadian rink in the field, went on to lose to Japan's Yusuke Morozumi in the third place game, 7-5.
Curl Mesabi Classic from Eveleth, Minnesota
Dec 16-18, 2016
Purse: $26,000 USD
American Heath McCormick continued his solid play this year, winning his fourth event at the Curl Mesabi Classic in Minnesota. Skip McCormick, third Christopher Plys, second Korey Dropkin and lead Thomas Howell took down fellow American John Shuster in the championship game, 5-3.
McCormick lost the first game of the tournament, but then reeled off six straight, including wins over Jamie Koe in the quarters and Winnipeg's Matt Dunstone in the semis.
Qinghai China Men's International from Xining, China
Dec 9-17, 2016
Purse: $18,000 USD
Thomas Ulsrud of Norway beat Canada's William Lyburn in the final, 6-3. It was the rink's first win of the season.
Dumfries Challenger Series from Dumfries, Scotland - CCT Event
Dec 15-18, 2016
Purse: $7500 GBP
Team Kyle Smith of Scotland grabbed their third event of the 2016-17 season, winning the Dumfries Challenge on the Curling Champions Tour. Skip Smith, third Thomas Muirhead, second Kyle Waddell and lead Cammy Smith posted a perfect 7-0 record and beat Scotland's Cameron Bryce in the final, 4-3. Bryce was also undefeated going into the final contest.
With the victory, Team Smith is now in the Top 10 on the WCT Money List.
Women's Tour
Karuizawa International from Karuizawa, Japan
Dec 15-18, 2016
Purse: $2,500,000 yen
South Korea's Team Un-Chi Gim topped Sweden's Team Margaretha Sigfridsson in the championship game to become the surprise winners at the Karuizawa International. Skip Gim, third Min-Ji Um, second Seul-Bee Lee and lead Yoon-Jung Yeom also bettered Anna Sidorova in the semi-finals, 4-2.
Scotland Eve Muirhead, who lost to Sigfridsson in the semis, ended up in third place after beating Sidorova, 5-3.
It was the first win of the season for Team Gim.
The only Canadian rink in the 15-team field was Team Sweeting from Edmonton, but they went 2-2 and failed to make the playoffs.
Curl Mesabi Classic from Eveleth, Minnesota
Dec 16-18, 2016
Purse: $11,000 USD
Calgary's Nadine Chyz continued her great season with another victory over the weekend, this time at the Curl Mesabi Classic in Minnesota. Skip Chyz, third Heather Jensen, second Rebecca Konschuh and lead Heather Rogers beat Cassie Potter, playing in her home state of Minnesota, 6-2, in the final to claim their fourth win of the 2016-17.
Team Chyz have already won the Avonair Cash Spiel, Crestwood Ladies Fall Classic and the Red Deer Curling Classic.
Qinghai China Men's International from Xining, China
Dec 9-17, 2016
Purse: $18,000 USD
Canada's Corryn Brown downed Hannah Fleming of Scotland, 9-4, in the final.
Dumfries Challenger Series from Dumfries, Scotland - CCT Event
Dec 15-18, 2016
Purse: $5200 GBP
Switzerland's Lara Stocker beat Scotland's Sophie Jackson in the final, 7-6.
Looking Ahead
Men's Tour
ASHAM U.S. Open of Curling from Blaine, Minnesota
Dec 30-Jan 2
Defending Champion: John Epping
Women's Tour
ASHAM U.S. Open of Curling from Blaine, Minnesota
Dec 30-Jan 2
Defending Champion: Krista McCarville