Image Credit: Anil Mungal / Grand Slam of Curling

By Marty Hastings

Grand Slam Curling

Kamloops’ Dunstone, Manitoba rink in the hunt for Grand Slam of Curling crown

Apr 10, 2024 | 2:29 PM

TORONTO — Kamloops skip Matt Dunstone and his Manitoba team that includes third B.J. Neufeld, second Colton Lott and lead Ryan Harnden, is chasing a Grand Slam of Curling title this week in Toronto.

Team Dunstone is 1-1 at the Princess Auto Players’ Championship following a 7-4 victory over Team Joël Retornaz of Trentino, Italy, on Wednesday (April 10).

Retornaz is the No. 1 ranked men’s curling team in the world. Dunstone is ranked eighth in the world.

“Obviously a big one,” Dunstone said. “Dropped our first one yesterday. Dug ourselves a little bit of an early hole, but to come out and beat down a good Italian team feels good and hopefully [gives us] some momentum going into tomorrow.”

The Princess Auto Players’ Championship is the fifth and final Grand Slam event of the 2023-2024 season and features the top 12 men’s teams and top 12 women’s rinks from across the world.

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Both divisions are split into two pools of six for round-robin play, with the top six teams advancing to the playoffs and the top two teams receiving byes to the semifinals.

The quarter-finals and semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, with the finals slated for Sunday.

A combined prize purse of $480,000 will be split equally between men’s and women’s divisions.

Dunstone is closing in on clinching one of three pre-qualifier spots for next season’s men’s national curling championship, the Montana’s Brier, with those berths based on Canadian Team Ranking System points at the conclusion of the Players.

Team Brendan Bottcher (366.750 points), Dunstone (224.250), Team Mike McEwen (213.500), Team Kevin Koe (209.500) and Team Brad Jacobs (208.000) are in the hunt.

Dunstone is in action next on Thursday against Team Ross Whyte of Stirling, Scotland. That game is slated to get underway at 5:00 a.m. Kamloops time.

“We’re definitely not where we want to be yet,” Dunstone said, noting his team had a month off prior to the Players. “Today was a mighty good start to that. Definitely getting a feel for the ice still and what it’s giving us.”