The World Curling Tour had a full schedule this past weekend with three events on both the men’s and women’s sides including the AMJ Campbell Shorty Jenkins Classic in Cornwall, ON, the HDF Insurance Shoot-Out in Edmonton and the Cloverdale Cash Spiel in Surrey, BC.

 

Men’s Tour

AMJ Campbell Shorty Jenkins Classic in Cornwall, ON (Sept 17-20)

Purse: $45,400

Brad Gushue continued his hot start to the WCT season with another win, this time at the Shorty Jenkins Classic. Gushue and his rink of third Mark Nichols, second Brett Gallant and lead Geoff Walker went a perfect 8-0 over the weekend, beating Toronto’s John Epping in the quarters and Sault Ste. Marie’s Brad Jacobs in the semifinals.  The St. John’s native would face an undefeated Team Glenn Howard (with Adam Spencer sparing at second for Wayne Middaugh) in the final. Howard forced an extra end after grabbing two in the eighth to tie it, but Gushue was able to compose himself and took a single in the extra to win the title 5-4.

Team Gushue wins Shorty Jenkins Classic

Gushue, 35, has already made four finals, winning two of them, in this young season and sits atop the WCT Money List. This was the second event for Howard this year with his son Scott playing lead. The rink from Penetanguishene, ON beat the likes of reigning world champion Niklas Edin of Sweden (twice), Quebec’s Jean-Michel Menard and the new-look Team Kean (Scott Howard played for Kean last year) in Cornwall.

Other notable rinks in the 24-team field included defending champion Jacobs (5-2) who fell to Gushue in the semis, PEI’s Adam Casey (3-2), Edin (3-3) who lost to Howard in the quarters, Epping (3-3), Menard (6-1) and Kean (2-3).

HDF Insurance Shoot-Out in Edmonton, AB (Sept 17-20)

Purse: $22, 000

Brendan Bottcher was unable to defend his title at the HDF Insurance Shoot-Out as he lost to Shaun Meachem in the final 8-4. Meachem lost the first two games of the event, but went 4-0 the rest of the way to capture the championship. Bottcher, on the other hand, was going into the final with an impressive 5-1 record. 

The 15-rink field featured teams mostly from Alberta.

Cloverdale Cash Spiel in Surrey, BC (Sept 18-20)

Purse: $8200

Dean Joanisse took care of Chase Martyn 8-2 in the final at the Cloverdale Cash Spiel. Joanisse, who lost to Jim Cotter in the BC final last year, went 6-1 on his way to the championship in the mostly BC field. 

 

Women's Tour

AMJ Campbell Shorty Jenkins Classic in Cornwall, ON (Sept 17-20)

Purse: $18, 000

EunJung Kim was stellar over the weekend in Cornwall, going a perfect 7-0 to capture her second win of the season at the Shorty Jenkins Classic. The 24-year-old edged Caledon's Allison Flaxey in the final 5-4. 

The 12-rink field included PEI's Suzanne Birt and last year's champ Sherry Middaugh of Coldwater, ON. Birt went 3-3 while Middaugh posted a 3-2 record, failing to qualify for the playoffs.   

HDF Insurance Shoot-Out in Edmonton, AB (Sept 17-20)

Purse: $22, 000

Two-time Scotties finalist Val Sweeting won her first event on Tour this season in her hometown of Edmonton at the HDF Insurance Shoot-Out. Sweeting's foursome went 8-0 beating Shannon Kleibrink in the quarters, young gun Kelsey Rocque in the semifinals and Saskatchewan's Stefanie Lawton in the final, 6-4.

The 22-rink field included teams from Edmonton and Saskatchewan. Defending champion Chelsea Carey (6-1, lost in the semis to Lawton) and Sherry Anderson (3-3) were other notable names.  

Cloverdale Cash Spiel in Surrey, BC (Sept 18-20)

Purse: $8200

Diane Gushulak of New Westminster, BC beat Prince George's Patti Knezevic in the final, 3-2. The 15-rink field featured teams from British Columbia. 

 

Looking Ahead

Men's Tour

Sept 25-28: Point Optical Curling Classic from Saskatoon, SK

Defending Champion: Mike McEwen

Sept 24-27: Mother Club Fall Curling Classic from Winnipeg, MB

Defending Champion: Sean Grassie

Sept 24-27: KW Fall Classic from Kitchener-Waterloo, ON

Defending Champion: Scott McDonald

Sept 25-28: Appleton Rum Cashspiel from Lower Sackville, NS

Defending Champion: New Event

Sept 21-23: Morioka Ice Rink Memorial Cup from Morioka, Japan

Defending Champion: New Event

 

Women's Tour

Sept 25-27: Stockholm Ladies Cup from Stockholm, Sweden

Defending Champion: Margaretha Sigfridsson

Sept 24-27: KW Fall Classic from Kitchener-Waterloo, ON

Defending Champion: Julie Hastings

Sept 24-27: Mother Club Fall Curling Classic from Winnipeg, MB

Defending Champion: Kristy McDonald

Sept 25-28: Appleton Rum Cashspiel from Lower Sackville, NS

Defending Champion: New Event

Sept 21-23: Morioka Ice Rink Memorial Cup from Morioka, Japan

Defending Champion: New Event