What Are The Biggest Curling Tournaments?
There are multiple events each year where curlers compete for the chance to win first place. The biggest of these events are the Tim Hortons Brier, World Curling Championships, and the Players’ Championship.
Tim Hortons Brier
This tournament, most commonly known as the Brier, is the annual curling championship for men. The tournament is sanctioned by Curling Canada. It is called Tim Hortons Brier since its main sponsor is Tim Hortons, who has sponsored the tournament since 2005. The Brier was first held in 1927 and is traditionally set in March. The winner of the Brier goes on to the World Curling Championship to represent Canada.
The Brier tournament consists of 16 teams. Since it determines who represents Canada in the World Championship, there is usually a team from each province and territory, besides Ontario, which sends two teams.
World Curling Championship
The World Curling Championship is held annually by the World Curling Federation. The World Curling Championship features national teams from around the world. The championship is split between men’s, women’s, junior’s, senior’s, and mixed doubles. There is also a wheelchair curling category of championship games. There are 14 teams that compete in the Championships.
The first men’s championship started in 1959, women’s in 1979, and mixed doubles in 2008. At that time, the World Curling Championship was known as the Scotch Cup. The hosting of the championship varies from year to year. Canada is the main host of the Championships.
Players’ Championship
The Players’ Championship is a part of the Grand Slam of curling and is one of the concluding events in the World Curling Tour. It was originally called the “VO Cup” before the Grand Slam was started. The event was incorporated into the Grand Slam in 2001 for men and 2006 for women.
To qualify, you must currently be at the top of the rankings for curling in the world. Those who are in the top 12 are invited to play in the Players’ Championship. The countries that have won the tournament previously include Scotland, Canada, and Sweden. The tournament has been hosted around Canada, with the previous tournaments being held in Toronto and Alberta. The prize for winning the tournament was $35,000 in 2022, and the overall prize pool was $350,000.
FAQ
When was curling first played competitively?
The first curling competition was in the first Winter Olympic Games in 1924 in Chamonix, France. The first tournament was in 1959, when the Scotch Cup was created. It was between Scottish and Canadian players. They played in Scotland in Falkirk, Perth, and Edinburgh.
How many curling tournaments does Curling Canada Sponsor?
There are 17 national curling championship events that are run by Curling Canada. Some of these include the Canada Cup of Curling, Continental Cup of Curling, and the World Curling Championships.
Who has won the most World Curling Championships?
Canada has won the most World Curling Championships in both the men’s and women’s categories. The men have won 36 championship titles and the women 17 championship titles as of 2022.
How much money can someone make for winning a tournament?
The prize money for a curling tournament depends on the tournament players compete in. For The Players Championship in 2022, there was a $35,000 cash prize for the winner. For the Grand Slam of Curling, which is a series of events, the first-place team wins $75,000.