The last curling competition for the 2025 calendar year is here.
With just a week before Christmas, a lot of teams are hoping to score an early treat at the fourth Grand Slam of Curling tournament of the 2025-2026 season, the HearingLife Canadian Open in Saskatoon, Sask.
However, it will be difficult to take the field against Rachel Homan or Silvana Tirinzoni on the women's side and Matt Dunstone or Bruce Mouat on the men's side given that they combined to take five of the six finals spots in the first three tournaments this year.
The extra ends seem to be back.
The Grand Slam of Curling Competition Committee is heeding the curlers' request and is bringing back the extra ends, but they are only for tiebreakers and playoff games.
In round-robin games, if there is a tie after eight ends, both teams will take part in a penalty shootout to determine the winner.
Playing an extra end had always been standard procedure for breaking a tie until this year at the Grand Slam of Curling. The first Grand Slam of the season, the AMJ Masters, adopted the style used for the HearingLife Canadian Open, but the next two Grand Slams, the CO-OP Tour Challenge and the KIOTI GSOC Tahoe, eliminated the extra ends entirely.
This led to exciting results, including Bruce Moua earning his 12th Grand Slam title by beating Dunstone in a penalty shootout by three millimetres.
But after some resistance from curlers, the competition committee agreed to bring back extra ends in knockout games.
Teams to watch this week
There are so many interesting teams this week with great storylines, like how Homan and Brad Jacobs look after winning the Canadian Curling Trials and earning a berth at the Olympics last month. What about Brad Gushue, who continues his retirement tour and will always cause a stir wherever he goes?
There's no shortage of intrigue at this week's event, but here's one team to watch on both the women's and men's sides and why:
Ksenia Schwaller, Switzerland
Schwaller has been one of the most impressive teams at the Grand Slam of Curling this season. For such a young team, they are improving against the best players in the world at every tournament. They made the knockout stages in all three tournaments this season, including reaching the semi-finals in the last two, but she lost to her compatriot Tirinzoni each time.
However, the games continue to approach. Schwaller lost 6-4 at the KIOTI GSOC Tahoe.
Schwaller has now climbed up the world rankings to No. 4 and, just over a month after their last Grand Slam, it will be interesting to see if they can continue to improve and perhaps finally break through against Tirinzoni.
Dunston was without a doubt the best Canadian team heading into the curling qualifiers, judging by his impressive play leading up to the tournament. Dunston won the first Grand Slam of the year and reached the final in all three Grand Slams that season.
His biggest rival before the trials, Jacobs, could not defeat him no matter what. Dunstone beat him twice in the Grand Slam semi-finals, as well as in the PointsBet final.
However, the trials turned out to be very different, with Jacobs beating him in the round robin and in the best-of-three final, beating Dunston 2–0.
The result was heartbreaking for Dunston, but with the big event now just weeks away, Dunston is one to watch at the HearingLife Canadian Open as it will be interesting to see how his team reacts.
Games are circled on the schedule
There are so many games every day that will provide great curling, but to keep the list short, here are five games worth marking on your calendar, along with one thing that explains why this is a must-see event.
Draw 4 – December 16, 7:30 pm ET/4:30 pm PT.
Rachel Homan vs Stefania Constantine
- Constantini is the only team to beat Homan at the Grand Slam of Curling this season.
Draw December 5 – December 17 at 5:00 pm ET/2:00 pm PT.
Matt Dunston vs. Joel Retornaz
- Both teams have sweepers that can manipulate the rock at will, creating an exciting yet strategic battle.
Draw December 12 – 18, 9:00 PM ET / 6:00 PM PT.
Brad Jacobs vs Brad Gushue
- Gushue's Olympic dreams were dashed at the hands of Jacobs at the Canadian curling competition last month.
Drawing December 15 – 19 at 5:00 pm ET / 2:00 pm PT.
Rachel Homan vs Kerry Einarson
- The two best Canadian women's teams in the world are always in hot competition.
Draw December 16 – 19, 9:00 PM ET / 6:00 PM PT.
Bruce Mouat vs. Kyle Waddell
- World number one Muat will meet one of his promising and bright compatriots, Waddell.
The HearingLife Canadian Open will be available exclusively on Sportsnet+ beginning December 16th at 9:00 am ET/6:00 pm PT with draws 1 through 10. Beginning with draw 11 on December 18 at 5:00 pm ET/2:00 pm PT, games will be available on both Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ until the final on Sunday. December 21st.
