Eight Ends is your source for news, insight and analysis from the Grand Slam of Curling. This edition features takeaways from the Princess Auto Players’ Championship. We’d also tip our hat to Gushue after that shot for the win. FIRST END: Having skip Brad Gushue draw to the four-foot circle for the win is usually part of the plan for his St. John’s, N.L., team. Having Gushue draw to the four-foot circle through a trio of counters and needing to bounce off one and slam the brakes in time for the win with an electric crowd at historic Maple Leaf Gardens cheering you on, well, that’s like turning ..read more

TORONTO — Canada’s Brad Gushue claimed a 15th career Grand Slam of Curling title after fending off Italy’s Joël Retornaz 7-6 during an intense Princess Auto Players’ Championship men’s final Sunday. Although Great Big Sea’s “Ordinary Day” played over the loud speakers at the Mattamy Athletic Centre during the trophy celebration, this was far from an ordinary Grand Slam win for Gushue and his crew from St. John’s, N.L., featuring third Mark Nichols, second E.J. Harnden and lead Geoff Walker. Gushue held the hammer coming home with the score tied 6-all and missed on his first skip shot as his ru ..read more

Ladies and gentlemen, the weekend passes are now available for the 2024 HearingLife Tour Challenge at Charlottetown’s Bell Aliant Centre. The first Grand Slam of Curling event features 64 of the top curling teams from around the world. Visit tourchallenge.goigniter.com to purchase your passes today. With the weekend pass, you’ll get to watch the action from the Friday, Oct. 4, evening draw straight through to the championship finals on Sunday, Oct. 6. Don’t want to miss a moment? Full-event passes are also available for the six-day tournament (Oct. 1-6). Feel free to join us down in ..read more

TORONTO — The third time was the charm this season for Silvana Tirinzoni and her squad from Switzerland. Appearing in their third consecutive Grand Slam of Curling women’s final, and looking to avoid a third consecutive runners-up result, Tirinzoni ensured her club headed into the off-season on a high note by claiming the Princess Auto Players’ Championship trophy with a 6-5 victory Sunday over Sweden’s Team Isabella Wranå at the Mattamy Athletic Centre. It’s the fourth career Grand Slam title and first in the crown jewel event of the series for Tirinzoni, who throws third stones and is suppor ..read more

TORONTO — The rematch is set for the Princess Auto Players’ Championship women’s final as defending champs Team Isabella Wranå of Sweden will meet Team Silvana Tirinzoni once again on Sunday. Wranå defeated South Korea’s Team Eunji Gim 6-5 while Tirinzoni topped Canada’s Team Rachel Homan 5-3 during Saturday’s soldout semifinals at the Mattamy Athletic Centre. It was almost exactly one year ago when Wranå captured her first career Grand Slam of Curling title with a narrow 6-5 victory over Tirinzoni, and she’ll need deja vu in order to secure her second. “That would mean so much and it’s going ..read more

TORONTO — Canada’s Team Brad Gushue will take on Italy’s Team Joël Retornaz for the men’s title in the Princess Auto Players’ Championship. Gushue and his crew from St. John’s, N.L., got by Scotland’s Team Bruce Mouat and Retornaz defeated Canada’s Team Mike McEwen by identical 6-5 scores Saturday night in front of a soldout crowd at the Mattamy Athletic Centre. Both Gushue and Retornaz arrived at the season finale event straight from the world championships. They also both finished on the podium in Switzerland — with Gushue earning silver and Retornaz taking bronze — and may have arrived here ..read more

TORONTO — Team Brad Gushue of St. John’s, N.L., and Italy’s Team Joël Retornaz have made it to the final four in the Princess Auto Players’ Championship. Gushue upended Scotland’s Team Ross Whyte 6-5 and Retornaz ousted Sweden’s Team Niklas Edin 7-2 during the men’s quarterfinals Saturday at the Mattamy Athletic Centre. The 14-time Grand Slam champion Gushue will play Scotland’s Team Bruce Mouat and Retornaz will meet Saskatoon’s Team Mike McEwen during the evening semifinals draw. Watch the men’s and women’s semifinals live at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT on Sportsnet ONE and Sportsnet+. Gushu ..read more

TORONTO — Jennifer Jones’s legendary career in women’s curling came to a close Friday night at the Princess Auto Players’ Championship. Jones bid farewell as the packed house at the Mattamy Athletic Centre gave her a standing ovation following her 7-6 loss to Sweden’s Team Anna Hasselborg in the final round-robin draw that eliminated her Winnipeg team from playoff contention with a 1-4 record. “The Best” by Tina Turner played over the arena speakers in a fitting salute to the iconic skip who has won Olympic gold, two world championships, six Scotties Tournament of Hearts titles and 10 Grand Sl ..read more

TORONTO — Isabella Wranå and her Swedish squad will continue their title defence into semifinals at the Princess Auto Players’ Championship. Wranå secured a bye with a 5-4 victory over Italy’s Team Stefania Constantini during Draw 14 action Friday. Team Wranå finished pool play at 4-1, identical to their round-robin record here last season, while Constantini had the complete opposite mark and was eliminated from contention at 1-4. “It feels very good,” Wranå said. “It’s super nice to be able to get that semifinal place and we’re pumped to be playing tomorrow for more.” Memories of capturing he ..read more

TORONTO — Rachel Homan and her Ottawa-based team are still undefeated in the Princess Auto Players’ Championship after calling an audible in the extra end to defeat Japan’s Team Satsuki Fujisawa 6-5 during Draw 13 action Friday. Homan was looking to make a double tap to raise her own rock in for shot stone. Although her shooter over-curled, sweepers Sarah Wilkes and Emma Miskew were able to pull the string and drag it in to count for the winning point. The reigning world champions, now sporting an outstanding 67-6 record on the year, completed a perfect 5-0 run through round-robin play to secu ..read more