The countdown to the third annual PointsBet Invitational is on.
Curling Canada announced on Wednesday, 30 of the 32 teams that will compete in the single elimination tournament at WinSport Event Centre in Calgary from Sept. 25-29.
Scotties Tournament of Hearts champions, Ottawa’s Team Rachel Homan, and Montana’s Brier champions, Team Brad Gushue of St. John’s, Nfld., will serve as the number one seeds in the women’s and men’s events.
Paths to qualification included a top-10 ranking on the Canadian Team Ranking System, the 2024 Alberta champions, winners of the 2024 New Holland Canadian Under-21 Championships, winners of the 2024 Canadian Colleges Athletic Association (CCAA)/Curling Canada College Championships, winners of the 2024 U SPORTS/Curling Canada Canadian University Championships and winners of the 2023 Everest Canadian Curling Club Championships.
The last spot in each field will be decided at the 2024 Curling Canada Under-25 NextGen Classic, taking place in early September in Edmonton.
Here are the Sweep 16 opening round matchups, via Curling Canada.
Women
Wednesday, Sept. 25
1. Team Rachel Homan (CTRS; Ottawa) vs. 16. Team Gabby Wood (CCAA champion; Edmonton)
4. Team Kaitlyn Lawes (CTRS; Winnipeg) vs. 13. Under-25 NextGen Classic women’s champions
5. Team Selena Sturmay (CTRS; Edmonton) vs. 12. Team Ashley Thevenot (formerly Team Skylar Ackerman; CTRS; Saskatoon)
8. Team Corryn Brown (CTRS; Kamloops, B.C.) vs. 9. Team Serena Gray-Withers (U SPORTS champion; Edmonton)
Thursday, Sept. 26
2. Team Chelsea Carey (formerly Team Jennifer Jones; CTRS; Winnipeg/Altona, Man.) vs. 15. Team Abby Burgess (Everest Club Championships winner; Oromocto, N.B.)
3. Team Kerri Einarson (CTRS; Gimli, Man.) vs. 14. Team Allyson MacNutt (New Holland Canadian Under-21 Championships winner; Halifax)
6. Team Kate Cameron (CTRS; Winnipeg) vs. 11. Team Jolene Campbell (CTRS; Regina)
7. Team Danielle Inglis (CTRS; Ottawa) vs. 10. Team Kayla Skrlik (CTRS; Calgary)
Men
Wednesday, Sept. 25
1. Team Brad Gushue (CTRS; St. John’s, N.L.) vs. 16. Team Dan Sherrard (Everest Club Championships winner; Beaumont, Alta.)
4. Team Matt Dunstone (CTRS; Winnipeg) vs. 13. Under-25 NextGen Classic men’s champions
5. Team Kevin Koe (CTRS; Calgary) vs. 12. Team Josh Bryden (U SPORTS champion; Regina)
8. Team Rylan Kleiter (CTRS; Saskatoon) vs. 9. Team Sam Mooibroek (CTRS; Whitby, Ont.)
Thursday, Sept. 26
2. Team Brad Jacobs (formerly Team Brendan Bottcher; CTRS; Calgary) vs. 15. Team Jacob Dobson (CCAA champion; Toronto)
3. Team Mike McEwen (CTRS; Saskatoon) vs. 14. Team Kenan Wipf (New Holland Canadian Under-21 Championships winner; Calgary)
6. Team Reid Carruthers (CTRS; Winnipeg) vs. 11. Team Félix Asselin (CTRS; Montreal)
7. Team Aaron Sluchinski CTRS; Airdrie, Alta.) vs. 10. Team Owen Purcell (CTRS; Halifax)
Like previous years, each rink will receive $5,000 to cover travel and accommodation costs and will earn more money after each victory, including $3,000 for a first-round win, $6,000 for a quarterfinal win and $12,000 for a semifinal win. The men’s and women’s teams will each earn $24,000 for a win in the championship game for total winnings of $50,000.
The first PointsBet Invitational took place in 2022 with Reid Carruthers and Jennifer Jones taking home the title in Fredericton, N.B. Carruthers defended his title last year in Oakville with Rachel Homan winning on the women’s side.
