Silvana Tirinzoni and her rink from Switzerland might be the hottest team entering next month’s Winter Olympics in Italy.
Team Tirinzoni defeated Canada’s Team Kerri Einarson, 6-5, on Sunday night in the final of the Players’ Championship from Steinbach, Man., the final event of the 2025-26 Grand Slam season and the last tune-up for curlers competing at the Olympics.
The Swiss rink, also featuring sharpshooting fourth Alina Paetz, second Carole Howald and lead Selina Witschonke, are having a terrific season as they’ve made the final in all five Grand Slams, losing the first three to Team Rachel Homan before winning the most recent two.
They’ve won three other events on Tour this season and are ranked second in the world behind Team Homan.
Sunday’s win marked their third straight Players’ Championship title.
The 46-year-old Tirinzoni is a five-time world champion and has represented Switzerland at two previous Winter Olympics, failing to reach the podium.
Homan’s rink, who will represent Canada at Milano Cortina 2026 after winning November’s Canadian Curling Trials, were eliminated by Team Einarson in the semifinal round at the Players’ Championship.
This comes after a quarterfinal departure at the Canadian Open in December, marking the first time they were unable to reach a Grand Slam final since the 2024 Players’ Championship.
Sweden’s Team Anna Hasselborg (missed playoffs), South Korea’s Eunji Gim (lost to Team Tirinzoni in semis), United States’ Team Tabitha Peterson (lost to Team Gim in quarters) and Japan’s Team Sayaka Yoshimura (missed playoffs) were also in Steinbach for the Players’ as they get set to represent their nations at the Olympics.
The women’s tournament runs from Feb. 12-22.
Team Jacobs misses playoffs
On the men’s side of the draw at the Players’ Championship, Team Ross Whyte defeated Team Kyle Waddell, 6-3, in an all-Scottish final for their second career Grand Slam victory.
Neither Whyte or Waddell will represent Great Britain in Italy, however, as world No. 1 Team Bruce Mouat will have the honours.
The Stirling rink missed the playoffs in Steinbach after dropping a tiebreaker to Team John Shuster of the United States.
Canada’s Olympic rep, Team Brad Jacobs, didn’t have their best stuff at the Players’ Championship, missing the playoffs with a 1-4 record.
They made the quarters at last month’s Canadian Open after winning the Canadian Curling Trials in November with a two-game sweep of Team Matt Dunstone in the final.
Team Xu Xiaoming will represent China at the Winter Olympics and had a nice run at the Players’ before dropping the semifinal to Team Waddell.
Team Xiaoming were hammered by Team Jacobs in the bronze medal game at last year’s World Men’s Curling Championship.
Italy’s Team Joel Retornaz were ousted in the quarters while Switzerland’s Team Yannick Schwaller, who won the Canadian Open Grand Slam last month, were eliminated by Team Whyte in the semis.
Other Olympic competitors included Team Daniel Casper of the United States (1-4) and Sweden’s Team Niklas Edin (0-5). Both missed the playoffs.
The men’s tournament runs from Feb. 11-21.
