Kerri Einarson, Brendan Bottcher win Grand Slam of Curling openers

CALGARY — The reigning national women’s and men’s champions are off to winning starts at the 2021 Grand Slam of Curling. 

Kerri Einarson’s Manitoba rink and Brendan Bottcher’s Alberta team both went 2-0 on opening day of the Humpty’s Champions Cup on Thursday,

Einarson downed Ontario’s Rachel Homan 6-3 in the opening draw, then toppled American Tabitha Peterson 9-2.

Bottcher beat Yannick Schwaller of Switzerland 6-4, and Toronto’s John Epping 9-2. 

Sweden’s Niklas Edin, who captured the men’s world championship on Sunday, lost 6-2 to Alberta’s Kevin Koe but rebounded in the evening draw with a 7-1 win over Jason Gunnlaugson, who is 0-2 with an 8-3 loss to Epping earlier in the day.

Scotland’s Bruce Mouat and Newfoundland and Labrador’s Brad Gushue also posted wins in their opening games on the men’s side, while Manitoba’s Tracy Fleury and Scotland’s Eve Muirhead were victorious on the women’s side. 

The event is the first of two Grand Slams at WinSport’s Markin MacPhail Centre, which already has hosted the Canadian men’s, women’s and mixed doubles championships as well as the men’s world championship. 

The women’s world championship will close the Calgary curling bubble next month. 

The Slam events feature 12 of the top men’s teams and 12 of the top women’s teams from around the world. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 15, 2021.

The Canadian Press