Curling’s heavyweights are set to rock the house this weekend in Port Hawkesbury, N.S. at The National, the first Grand Slam of Curling event of 2013. Sportsnet kicks off coverage of this highly anticipated event on Thursday, Jan. 24 at 11:30 a.m. ET on Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific (full broadcast details below).
The third event of the 2012-13 Grand Slam of Curling season, The National’s star-studded lineup features 18 of the best men’s curling teams competing in a high-stakes, round robin-style bonspiel featuring a $100,000 purse. Coldwater, ON’s Team Howard, winner of December’s The Canadian Open, will look for a repeat victory alongside The Rogers Masters winner Team Koe from Edmonton. Both teams are currently eligible to split an additional $100,000 purse as one of the top three men’s teams competing in the 2012-13 Grand Slam of Curling season.
In addition to Team Howard and Team Koe, The National features men’s curling powerhouse and 2010 Olympic gold medallist Team Martin, as well as Canadian East Coast favourites and 2006 Olympic gold medallist Team Gushue.
Sportsnet’s team of curling experts will be on hand at the Civic Centre in Port Hawkesbury to call the action, with Rob Faulds handling the play-by-play alongside 1998 Olympic silver medallists and former teammates Mike Harris and Richard Hart.
In addition to coverage of The National all weekend long, Sportsnet’s commitment to providing curling fans with unprecedented access to high-calibre curling events continues with the exclusive broadcast of the Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario women’s Provincial Curling Championships on Saturday, Jan. 26 and Sunday, Jan. 27 (full broadcast details below). This marks the first time the Provincial Curling Championships will be delivered nationally across Canada, with the winners from each championship moving on to compete in the national championship in February.
Sportsnet will be on hand at each location for the action, with broadcast teams at each venue:
- Alberta – Live from the Lethbridge Curling Club in Lethbridge, AB, Don Landry calls the play-by-play alongside analyst Paul Webster, 2014 Olympic team leader for Canadian curling
- Manitoba – Live from Veterans Memorial Sports Complex in Stonewall, MB, Roger Millions calls the play-by-play alongside 1998 Olympic gold medallist and three-time Canadian and World Champion Joan McCusker as analyst
- Ontario – Live from the Granite Club in Kitchener, ON, Dan Dunleavy calls the play-by-play
Owned and operated by Sportsnet, the Grand Slam of Curling is an elite series of men’s and women’s curling events which are part of the World Curling Tour and feature the best teams from across Canada and around the world. The Players’ Championship in Toronto (April 16-21, 2013) is the final stop of the 2012-13 Grand Slam of Curling season. Tickets for The National can be purchased online athttps://tickets.phcivic.com/
