Curling returned from its holiday break this past weekend with the U.S. Open of Curling from Blaine, Minnesota.

 

Men's Tour

ASHAM U.S. Open of Curling from Blaine, Minnesota (Jan 1-4)

Purse: $25, 000 USD

Toronto's John Epping is playing some of the best curling of his career. Epping alongside third Mathew Camm, second Patrick Janssen and lead Tim March won their second straight event on the World Curling Tour Monday, beating hometown favourite Craig Brown in the final of the U.S. Open 7-3. 

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Team Epping won the Grand Slams' Canadian Open from Yorkton, SK before the Christmas break and kicked off the New Year right with another big performance this past weekend. Epping went perfect over the four-day event beating Winnipeg's Alex Forrest in the quarterfinals, 5-3, Winnipeg's William Lyburn, 4-2, in the semifinals and Brown in the championship game.  

Other notable rinks included Reid Carruthers of Winnipeg who fell to Brown in the quarters, 3-4, and Saskatoon's Steve Laycock, a 4-6 loser to Lyburn also in the quarters.

The field featured 20 rinks.

 

Women's Tour

ASHAM U.S. Open of Curling from Blaine, Minnesota (Jan 1-4)

Purse: $20, 000 USD

Krista McCarville is quietly having a very good year. They may not be major events, but the 33-year-old from Thunder Bay, ON has won the last four events she's played in, including the U.S. Open this past weekend. McCarville, alongside third Kendra Lilly, second Ashley Sippala and lead Sarah Potts beat China's Sijia Liu 6-1 in the final.

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She's won the Colonial Square Ladies Classic, Molson Cash Spiel, Curl Mesabi Classic and finally the U.S. Open of Curling this season.

In Blaine, McCarville beat Charlottetown's Suzanne Birt 7-3 in the quarters, American Erika Brown 9-1 in the semis and Liu in the championship game.

Other notable rinks included Calgary's Chelsea Carey who fell to Liu in the quarterfinals 3-4 and Sherry Middaugh of Coldwater, ON who lost to Nina Roth in the quarters 6-7. Team Middaugh had Jo-Ann Rizzo skipping at the event.

 

Looking Ahead

Men’s Tour

Jan 8-10: Pinty's All Star Curling Skins Game from Banff, AB 

Defending Champion: Brad Jacobs

Jan 7-10: Mecure Perth Masters from Perth, Scotland (CCT Event)

Defending Champion: Brad Gushue

Women’s Tour

Jan 8-10: Pinty's All Star Curling Skins Game from Banff, AB 

Defending Champion: Rachel Homan

Jan 7-10: International Bernese Ladies Cup from Bern, Switzerland (CCT Event)

Defending Champion: Alina Paetz