Jacobs tops Epping in opening men’s draw at Grand Slam of Curling’s WFG Masters

Jan 14, 2025 | 12:58 PM

GUELPH, Ont. — Brad Jacobs defeated John Epping 5-3 in a battle of Canadian rinks Tuesday afternoon at the Grand Slam of Curling’s WFG Masters.

Jacobs and his Calgary-based side opened with a deuce and went ahead to stay with a single in the fifth end.

It’s the first Grand Slam of the season for Epping and his new Sudbury, Ont.-based team, which has risen to fifth in the national men’s rankings.

Phillipp Hoesli of Switzerland dumped Sweden’s Niklas Edin 10-2 and American Korey Dropkin defeated Mike McEwen’s Saskatoon-based side 8-3. Scotland’s Bruce Mouat topped Winnipeg’s Jordon McDonald 4-2 in the other early men’s game.

Earlier in the day, Sweden’s Anna Hasselborg needed an extra end to complete a 7-6 win over Italy’s Stefania Constantini and Japan’s Ikue Kitazawa beat South Korea’s Eun-Ji Gim 6-4.

Switzerland’s Silvana Tirinzoni posted a 4-2 win over the Ottawa-based side skipped by Danielle Inglis and South Korea’s Eun-Jung Kim beat Switzerland’s Xenia Schwaller 5-1.

Two more draws were scheduled for later Tuesday at the Sleeman Centre. Play continues through Sunday at the fourth Grand Slam stop of the season.

Organizers are experimenting with a new rule at the competition. Teams will lose hammer when consecutive ends are blanked.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 14, 2025.

The Canadian Press