CALGARY — Reid Carruthers seeks a three-peat in curling's quirky PointsBet Invitational that's become an unofficial season kickoff because of money, field and visibility.
The five-day televised tournament starting Wednesday at Calgary's WinSport Arena features the top 10 men's and women's teams in Canada among the 32 entries. The men's and women's victors Sunday each earn a total of $50,000 in prize money.
Winnipeg's Carruthers was the men's champ in both the inaugural PointsBet in Fredericton in 2022, and in Oakville, Ont., last year.
What makes Curling Canada's cashspiel quirky is the single-elimination format, the tiebreaking draw to the button instead of an extra end, and junior, university, college and club teams mixing with curling's elite.
"I categorize this as still a new event," Carruthers said. "It is a slightly different format with it being single-elimination, draw to the button for the win, no extra end.
"It's a little bit different, but a big prize purse. First time for all the teams to be on TV (this season). To have an early-season challenge like the PointsBet, it's an awesome opportunity to set the tone for the season for your team."
World and Canadian women's champion Rachel Homan is the defending PointsBet women's champion.
The skip sees the event as a combination of high stakes — one loss and you're out — and a lighter schedule than Grand Slams or the national championship Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
"Playoffs right away is just a different way of thinking about it," Homan said. "You start with playoffs and you don't get any practice games.
"It's something different, something fun, not too physically demanding or exhausting (since) it's just one game a day and one of the days you don't play."
The PointsBet also provides the first glimpse of revamped lineups.
Carruthers has a new vice for the third time in as many years. Catlin Schneider, who skipped B.C. in the 2024 national men's championship, joined Carruthers after Brad Jacobs' departure.
"We're still learning each other in the house," Carruthers said. "From a technical standpoint, he throws the rock very similar to us.
"Figuring out how to get the most out of each other is something that we're working on and it will take a little bit of time and conversation about what we need to do to be consistently one of the best teams in Canada."
Jacobs took over a formidable lineup of Marc Kennedy, Brett Gallant and Ben Hebert from Brendan Bottcher. The No. 2 men's team in Canada joins reigning national champion Brad Gushue, Brier runner-up Mike McEwen and Matt Dunstone in Calgary's field.
Those four teams have berths in the 2025 Montana's Brier in Kelowna, B.C. locked in.
Chelsea Carey took over as the No. 2 women's team in Canada from the retired Jennifer Jones.
She and PointsBet combatants Homan, Kaitlyn Lawes and four-time Canadian champion Kerri Einarson, are pre-qualified for the 2025 Tournament of Hearts in Thunder Bay, Ont.
The recently crowned men's and women's national under-25 champions, as well as the 2024 under-21, university and college champions get a taste of curling's big leagues in Calgary.
"Some of these teams don't get opportunities in an arena under big pressure and lights," Carruthers said. "You can only get better by exposing yourself to those moments and those games."
Homan's first game on Wednesday is against women's college champion Gabby Wood of Edmonton. Einarson opens Thursday against Canadian women's under-21 champion Allyson MacNutt of Halifax.
Einarson's second Shannon Birchard is out of the lineup with a knee injury and will be replaced by Laura Walker in Calgary.
Krysten Karwacki continues as Einarson's lead while Briane Harris awaits the outcome of a doping appeal for what she has said is inadvertent ingestion of a banned substance.
Carruthers starts defence of his men's title Thursday against Quebec's Felix Asselin, who added 2006 Canadian champion and world silver medallist Jean-Michel Menard to his lineup this season.
Top seed Gushue faces men's club champion Dan Sherrard of Beaumont, Alta., on Wednesday. Jacobs starts Thursday against men's college champion Jacob Dobson of Toronto.
Curling Canada provides each team with $5,000 for travel and accommodation. A first-round win is worth $3,000, a quarterfinal victory $6,000, a semifinal win $12,000, plus another $24,000 for the title.
— With files from Gregory Strong
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 24, 2024.
Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press
