Grant Hardie is in the winner’s circle as the skip of his own rink.
The 34-year-old and his team from Stirling, Scotland, put together a perfect week at the AMJ Shorty Jenkins Classic in Cornwall, Ont., to claim their first bonspiel as a foursome.
Team Hardie defeated Manitoba’s Team John Epping 6-4 in Sunday’s final, scoring a deuce in the final end to secure the victory.
Hardie, who’s now skipping fourth Ross Whyte, second Craig Waddell and lead Euan Kyle this season following a highly successful decade-long run with Bruce Mouat, went 5-0 in the preliminary round before eliminating Italy’s Team Alberto Zisa in the quarterfinal and Switzerland’s Team Marco Hoesli in the semi-final on his way to the championship game.
Team Hardie finished second at the Euro Super Series in their first event earlier this season.
Despite the loss in the final, Epping also had a great week with his new team.
A regular in Ontario, the 43-year-old skip is playing in Winnipeg this season, skipping third B.J. Neufeld, second Ryan Wiebe and lead Ian McMillan.
Team Epping went 5-0 in pool play and defeated Team Lukas Kilma and Team Danny Casper in the playoffs to make the final.
Paetz has Schwaller’s number
For the third time in the young 2026-27 curling season, Switzerland’s Team Alina Paetz has defeated countrywomen Team Xenia Schwaller in a bonspiel final.
After beating the reigning world women’s champions in the final of the Stu Sells Oakville Tankard and the Euro Super Series earlier this season, Paetz and company made it a hat trick by topping Team Schwaller 4-3 in the Shorty Jenkins Classic final on Sunday.
Team Paetz scored the game’s lone two-spot in the fourth end.
Similar to Hardie, the 36-year-old Paetz is captaining her own squad this year after a long tenure as Silvana Tirinzoni’s fourth, highlighted by winning four world titles and Olympic silver last season.
Tirinzoni retired at the end of last season with Paetz taking over skip duties for third Selina Witschonke, second Stefanie Berset and lead Renée Frigo.
Team Paetz went 4-1 in pool play and defeated reigning Canadian champion Team Kerri Einarson in the quarterfinal before eliminating Japan’s Team Miyu Ueno in the semi.
Calgary’s Kayla Skrlik and her new rink, featuring former junior champion Myla Plett at third, showed promise with a 5-0 run in the preliminary round before falling to Team Ueno in the quarters.
Quebec’s Team Kate Cameron went 3-2, but missed the playoffs.
Wrana, Yamaguchi win in Karuizawa
The annual Karuizawa International took place this weekend in Japan.
On the women’s side, it was Isabella Wrana and her Swedish team winning their second bonspiel of the season thanks to a commanding 6-2 win over South Korea’s Team Kang in the final.
Team Wrana, who earned bronze at last season’s World Women’s Curling Championship in Calgary, went 5-0 in the preliminary round, earning a bye to the semi-final where they dispatched Japan’s Team Ikue Kitazawa.
The young Swedes also earned a win at the Oslo Cup in late August.
The 29-year-old Wrana captured the gold medal in mixed doubles at last season’s Olympics in Italy.
In men’s play, Japan’s Team Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi took the title on home soil, edging countrymen Team Takumi Maeda in the final, 4-3.
After a 4-1 round robin performance, Team Yamaguchi topped Japan’s Team Kaito Fujii in the semis.
Yamaguchi led his squad to victory at the Wakkanai Midori Challenge Cup earlier this season as well.
Other Results
Tournoi Equinoxe Open
Men - Sylvain Bellavance
Saville Grand Prix
Men - Final on Monday
Women - Final on Monday
