Players' Championship

For other uses, see Players Championship (disambiguation).

Players' Championship
Established	1993
2025 host city	Toronto, Ontario
2025 arena	Mattamy Athletic Centre
Purse	CAD $175,000
Current champions (2024)
Men	Brad Gushue
Women	Silvana Tirinzoni
Current edition
2025 Players' Championship

The Players' Championship, currently known as the AMJ Players' Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the final event of the Grand Slam of Curling tour, and is formerly the championship of the World Curling Tour season.

From 2016 to 2019, it was the penultimate slam of the curling season, and the last of the four "majors". ^[1] The event was one of the original Grand Slam events when they were instituted in the 2001–02 season for men and for the 2005–06 season for women.

History

The event began as the "VO Cup" before the Grand Slam era in 1993, as part of the very first World Curling Tour season. ^[2] The event was known as the VO Cup for two seasons before title sponsor Seagram's Distillery pulled out. ^[3] With no sponsor, the 1995 event was saved at the last minute, and continued the next season thanks to a TV deal with TSN. ^[4]

A women's event was introduced in 2006. ^[5]

From 2007 to 2009, it was a qualifying tournament for the Canadian Olympic Curling Trials, and had barred foreign teams from entering (unlike the other Slams). Scotland's Eve Muirhead became the first non-Canadian skip to win the event in 2013, while Sweden's Niklas Edin became the first non Canadian skip to win the men's event in 2017.

To date, Edmonton's Kevin Martin has won the most Players' Championships with 8. On the women's side, Winnipeg's Jennifer Jones (and her long-time second, Jill Officer) have won the most championships with 6.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both the 2020 Players' Championship and the 2020 Champions Cup were cancelled. ^[6]

Qualification

The top 12 teams on the men's and women's WCT year-to-date rankings respectively qualify for the event. Teams that decline their invitations are replaced by the next highest ranked team. ^[7]

Format

Since 2023, and from 2014 to 2021, the event featured 12 teams split into two pools of six which compete in a round robin, with the top six teams advancing to a single game elimination playoff. In 2021, the number of teams earning playoff berths was reduced from eight. ^{[8] [9]} The 2022 event was a triple knockout.

Past champions

Men

Year	Winning team	Runner-up team	Location	Purse
1993	Russ Howard, Glenn Howard, Wayne Middaugh, Peter Corner	Paul Savage, Graeme McCarrel, Ian Tetley, Todd Tsukamoto [10]	Calgary, Alberta	$120,000 [11]
1994	Kevin Martin, Kevin Park, James Pahl, Don Bartlett	Ed Werenich, John Kawaja, Pat Perroud, Neil Harrison	Calgary, Alberta	$100,000 [12]
1995 (Apr.)	Murray McEachern, Rick Schneider, Daryl Nixon, Larry Schneider	Brad Heidt, Mark Dacey, Wayne Charteris, Dan Ormsby	Selkirk, Manitoba	$75,000 [3]
1995 (Dec.)	Wayne Middaugh, Graeme McCarrel, Ian Tetley, Scott Bailey	Dale Duguid, Dan Carey, Russ Hayes, Doug Armstrong	Jasper, Alberta	$106,000 [4]
1997	Russ Howard, Glenn Howard, Scott Patterson, Phil Loevenmark	Randy Woytowich, Rick Schneider, Brian McCusker, John Grundy [13]	Winnipeg, Manitoba	$60,000 [14]
1998	Kevin Martin, Don Walchuk, Rudy Ramcharan, Marcel Rocque	Vic Peters, Dave Smith, Chris Neufeld, Don Harvey [15]	Fort McMurray, Alberta	$60,000 [16]
1999	Wayne Middaugh, Graeme McCarrel, Ian Tetley, Scott Bailey	Russ Howard, Glenn Howard, Peter Corner, Neil Harrison	Winnipeg, Manitoba	$150,000 [17]
2000	Kevin Martin, Don Walchuk, Carter Rycroft, Don Bartlett	Wayne Middaugh, Graeme McCarrel, Ian Tetley, Scott Bailey	Winnipeg, Manitoba	$150,000 [18]
2001	Wayne Middaugh, Graeme McCarrel, Ian Tetley, Scott Bailey	Kevin Martin, Don Walchuk, Carter Rycroft, Don Bartlett	Calgary, Alberta	$150,000 [19]
2002	Wayne Middaugh, Graeme McCarrel, Ian Tetley, Scott Bailey	Vic Peters, Mark Olson, Chris Neufeld, Steve Gould	Strathroy, Ontario	$150,000
2003	Jeff Stoughton, Jon Mead, Gary Van Den Berghe, Jim Spencer	John Morris, Joe Frans, Brent Laing, Craig Savill	Leduc, Alberta	$150,000
2004	John Morris, Kevin Koe, Marc Kennedy, Paul Moffatt	Kevin Martin, Don Walchuk, Carter Rycroft, Don Bartlett	St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador	$150,000
2005	Kevin Martin, Don Walchuk, Carter Rycroft, Don Bartlett	Brad Gushue, Mark Nichols, Mike Adam, Jamie Korab	St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador	$150,000
2006	Randy Ferbey, David Nedohin, Scott Pfeifer, Marcel Rocque	Kevin Martin, Don Walchuk, Carter Rycroft, Adam Enright	Calgary, Alberta	$150,000 [20]
2007	Kevin Martin, John Morris, Marc Kennedy, Ben Hebert	Blake MacDonald, Kevin Park, Carter Rycroft, Nolan Thiessen	Calgary, Alberta	$100,000
2008	Glenn Howard, Richard Hart, Brent Laing, Craig Savill	Kevin Martin, John Morris, Marc Kennedy, Ben Hebert	St. John's, Newfoundland	$100,000
2009	Randy Ferbey, David Nedohin, Scott Pfeifer, Marcel Rocque	Glenn Howard, Richard Hart, Brent Laing, Craig Savill	Grande Prairie, Alberta	$100,000
2010	Kevin Martin, John Morris, Marc Kennedy, Ben Hebert	Brad Gushue, Mark Nichols, Ryan Fry, Jamie Korab	Dawson Creek, British Columbia	$100,000
2011	Kevin Martin, John Morris, Marc Kennedy, Ben Hebert	Niklas Edin, Sebastian Kraupp, Fredrik Lindberg, Viktor Kjäll	Grande Prairie, Alberta	$100,000
2012	John Epping, Scott Bailey, Scott Howard, David Mathers	Glenn Howard, Wayne Middaugh, Brent Laing, Craig Savill	Summerside, Prince Edward Island	$100,000
2013	Glenn Howard, Wayne Middaugh, Brent Laing, Craig Savill	Mike McEwen, B. J. Neufeld, Matt Wozniak, Denni Neufeld	Toronto, Ontario	$100,000
2014	Kevin Martin, Marc Kennedy, David Nedohin, Ben Hebert	Brad Jacobs, Ryan Fry, E. J. Harnden, Ryan Harnden	Summerside, Prince Edward Island	$100,000
2015	Brad Jacobs, Ryan Fry, E. J. Harnden, Ryan Harnden	Mike McEwen, B. J. Neufeld, Matt Wozniak, Denni Neufeld	Toronto, Ontario	$100,000
2016	Brad Gushue, Mark Nichols, Brett Gallant, Geoff Walker	Brad Jacobs, Ryan Fry, E. J. Harnden, Ryan Harnden	Toronto, Ontario	$100,000
2017	Niklas Edin, Oskar Eriksson, Rasmus Wranå, Christoffer Sundgren	Mike McEwen, B. J. Neufeld, Matt Wozniak, Denni Neufeld	Toronto, Ontario	$150,000
2018	Kevin Koe, Marc Kennedy, Brent Laing, Ben Hebert	Niklas Edin, Oskar Eriksson, Rasmus Wranå, Christoffer Sundgren	Toronto, Ontario	$150,000
2019	Brendan Bottcher, Darren Moulding, Brad Thiessen, Karrick Martin	Kevin Koe, B. J. Neufeld, Colton Flasch, Ben Hebert	Toronto, Ontario	$150,000
2020	Cancelled [6]
2021	Bruce Mouat, Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie, Hammy McMillan Jr.	Brad Gushue, Mark Nichols, Brett Gallant, Geoff Walker	Calgary, Alberta [21]	$175,000
2022	Bruce Mouat, Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie, Hammy McMillan Jr.	Niklas Edin, Oskar Eriksson, Rasmus Wranå (3 player team)	Toronto, Ontario	$175,000
2023	Kevin Koe, Tyler Tardi, Brad Thiessen, Karrick Martin	Yannick Schwaller, Benoît Schwarz, Sven Michel, Pablo Lachat	Toronto, Ontario	$175,000
2024	Brad Gushue, Mark Nichols, E. J. Harnden, Geoff Walker	Joël Retornaz, Amos Mosaner, Sebastiano Arman, Mattia Giovanella	Toronto, Ontario	$175,000
2025			Toronto, Ontario	$175,000

Women

Year	Winning team	Runner-up team	Location	Purse
2006	Jennifer Jones, Cathy Overton-Clapham, Jill Officer, Georgina Wheatcroft	Cheryl Bernard, Susan O'Connor, Carolyn Darbyshire, Cori Bartel	Calgary, Alberta	$100,000 [20]
2007	Jennifer Jones, Cathy Overton-Clapham, Jill Officer, Dawn Askin	Kelly Scott, Jeanna Schraeder, Sasha Carter, Renee Simons	Calgary, Alberta	$100,000
2008	Amber Holland, Kim Schneider, Tammy Schneider, Heather Seeley	Krista McCarville, Tara George, Kari MacLean-Kraft, Lorraine Lang	St. John's, Newfoundland	$100,000
2009	Jennifer Jones, Cathy Overton-Clapham, Jill Officer, Dawn Askin	Shannon Kleibrink, Amy Nixon, Bronwen Webster, Chelsey Bell	Grande Prairie, Alberta	$100,000
2010	Cheryl Bernard, Susan O'Connor, Carolyn Darbyshire, Cori Bartel	Crystal Webster, Lori Olson-Johns, Samantha Preston, Stephanie Malekoff	Dawson Creek, British Columbia	$100,000
2011	Jennifer Jones, Kaitlyn Lawes, Jill Officer, Dawn Askin	Rachel Homan, Emma Miskew, Alison Kreviazuk, Lisa Weagle	Grande Prairie, Alberta	$100,000
2012	Stefanie Lawton, Sherry Anderson, Sherri Singler, Marliese Kasner	Cathy Overton-Clapham, Jenna Loder, Ashley Howard, Breanne Meakin	Summerside, Prince Edward Island	$100,000
2013	Eve Muirhead, Anna Sloan, Vicki Adams, Claire Hamilton	Margaretha Sigfridsson, Maria Prytz, Christina Bertrup, Maria Wennerström	Toronto, Ontario	$100,000
2014	Jennifer Jones, Kaitlyn Lawes, Jill Officer, Dawn McEwen	Rachel Homan, Emma Miskew, Alison Kreviazuk, Lisa Weagle	Summerside, Prince Edward Island	$100,000
2015	Eve Muirhead, Anna Sloan, Vicki Adams, Sarah Reid	Anna Sidorova, Margarita Fomina, Alexandra Saitova, Ekaterina Galkina	Toronto, Ontario	$100,000
2016	Eve Muirhead, Cathy Overton-Clapham, Vicki Adams, Sarah Reid	Jennifer Jones, Kaitlyn Lawes, Jill Officer, Dawn McEwen	Toronto, Ontario	$100,000
2017	Jennifer Jones, Kaitlyn Lawes, Jill Officer, Dawn McEwen	Val Sweeting, Lori Olson-Johns, Dana Ferguson, Rachelle Brown	Toronto, Ontario	$150,000
2018	Jamie Sinclair, Alex Carlson, Vicky Persinger, Monica Walker	Jennifer Jones, Kaitlyn Lawes, Jill Officer, Dawn McEwen	Toronto, Ontario	$150,000
2019	Kerri Einarson, Val Sweeting, Shannon Birchard, Briane Meilleur	Anna Hasselborg, Sara McManus, Agnes Knochenhauer, Sofia Mabergs	Toronto, Ontario	$150,000
2020	Cancelled [6]
2021	Kerri Einarson, Val Sweeting, Shannon Birchard, Briane Meilleur	Rachel Homan, Emma Miskew, Sarah Wilkes, Joanne Courtney	Calgary, Alberta [21]	$175,000
2022	Anna Hasselborg, Sara McManus, Agnes Knochenhauer, Sofia Mabergs	Kerri Einarson, Val Sweeting, Shannon Birchard, Briane Meilleur	Toronto, Ontario	$175,000
2023	Isabella Wranå, Almida de Val, Maria Larsson, Linda Stenlund	Silvana Tirinzoni, Alina Pätz, Carole Howald, Briar Schwaller-Hürlimann	Toronto, Ontario	$175,000
2024	Silvana Tirinzoni, Alina Pätz, Selina Witschonke, Carole Howald	Isabella Wranå, Almida de Val, Maria Larsson, Linda Stenlund	Toronto, Ontario	$175,000
2025			Toronto, Ontario	$175,000

References

1. "Gushue, Homan headline field for Players' Championship". www.thegrandslamofcurling.com. Archived from the original on 2017-03-23.
2. "8 Ends: Players' Championship set for special 25th anniversary". www.thegrandslamofcurling.com. Archived from the original on 2017-04-15.
3. "WCT title 'spiel at crossroads". Regina Leader-Post. March 30, 1995. p. C5. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
4. "World Curling Tour on verge of big break". Edmonton Journal. December 9, 1995. p. D5. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
5. "About the Players' Championship - Grand Slam of Curling". www.thegrandslamofcurling.com. Archived from the original on 2014-09-11.
6. "GSOC cancels remaining events of 2019–20 season". Grand Slam of Curling. Grand Slam of Curling. March 13, 2020. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
7. "Qualification for the Players' Championship - Grand Slam of Curling". www.thegrandslamofcurling.com. Archived from the original on 2014-09-11.
8. "Format and Qualification".
9. "Format for the Players' Championship - Grand Slam of Curling". www.thegrandslamofcurling.com. Archived from the original on 2014-09-11.
10. "Savage en route again to championship battle". Calgary Herald. February 21, 1993. p. F1. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
11. "Icy Jackpot". Calgary Herald. February 22, 1993. p. C1. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
12. "Rivalry Takes Road". Calgary Herald. March 26, 1994. p. C4. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
13. "Howard heading off to Olympic trials". Regina Leader-Post. March 24, 1997. p. F2. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
14. "Local Scene". Regina Leader-Post. March 21, 1997. p. C4. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
15. "Peters positive". Winnipeg Sun. March 30, 1998. p. 42. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
16. "Martin wins World Tour championship". Red Deer Advocate. March 30, 1998. p. A8. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
17. "B.C.'s trio has just one win after four draws". Vancouver Sun. March 18, 1999. p. F5. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
18. "Top guns shot down at world curling tourney". Edmonton Journal. March 18, 2000. p. D5. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
19. "In the hack..." Calgary Herald. March 21, 2001. p. E5. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
20. "Players' Championship title toughest to get your hands on". Calgary Herald. April 13, 2006. p. F3. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
21. Brazeau, Jonathan (December 3, 2020). "GSOC looking to hold 2 events in proposed Calgary curling bubble" . Retrieved December 3, 2020.

External links

• Official website