Tour Challenge

The Tour Challenge, known as the HearingLife Tour Challenge for sponsorship reasons, is a bonspiel, or curling tournament, which is one of the Grand Slam of Curling events. It was introduced into the Grand Slam lineup starting in the 2015–16 curling season.[1]

Tour Challenge
Established2015
2023 host cityNiagara Falls, Ontario
2023 arenaGale Centre
PurseCAD$175,000
Current champions (2023)
MenItaly Joël Retornaz
WomenManitoba Jennifer Jones
Current edition
Grand Slam of Curling events

The event features a men's and women's draw, and is split into two tiers of 16 teams each, Tier 1 and Tier 2.[2]

Since 2022, the format consists of four pools, where each team plays all four of their games against the four teams of another pool. The top 8 teams overall make the playoffs. Beginning in 2023, there are no tiebreakers.[2]

The top 16 teams on the World Curling Federation team ranking qualify for the Tier 1 event, while the next top 16 teams qualify for the Tier 2 event. The winning team at the Tier 2 event qualifies for another Grand Slam, the Canadian Open.[2]

Past champions

Tier 1
Year Winning team Runner-up team Location Purse
2015Alberta Kevin Koe, Marc Kennedy, Brent Laing, Ben HebertNewfoundland and Labrador Brad Gushue, Mark Nichols, Brett Gallant, Geoff WalkerParadise, Newfoundland and Labrador$100,000
2016Sweden Niklas Edin, Oskar Eriksson, Rasmus Wranå, Christoffer SundgrenScotland Kyle Smith, Thomas Muirhead, Kyle Waddell, Cammy SmithCranbrook, British Columbia$100,000
2017Newfoundland and Labrador Brad Gushue, Mark Nichols, Brett Gallant, Geoff WalkerNorway Steffen Walstad, Markus Høiberg, Magnus Nedregotten, Magnus VågbergRegina, Saskatchewan$100,000
2018Ontario Brad Jacobs, Ryan Fry, E. J. Harnden, Ryan HarndenAlberta Brendan Bottcher, Darren Moulding, Bradley Thiessen, Karrick MartinThunder Bay, Ontario$100,000
2019Ontario Brad Jacobs, Marc Kennedy, E. J. Harnden, Ryan HarndenNewfoundland and Labrador Brad Gushue, Mark Nichols, Brett Gallant, Geoff WalkerWestville Road, Nova Scotia$120,000
2020 Cancelled
2021 Cancelled
2022Sweden Niklas Edin, Oskar Eriksson, Rasmus Wranå, Christoffer SundgrenManitoba Matt Dunstone, B. J. Neufeld, Colton Lott, Ryan HarndenGrande Prairie, Alberta$120,000
2023Italy Joël Retornaz, Amos Mosaner, Sebastiano Arman, Mattia GiovanellaAlberta Brendan Bottcher, Marc Kennedy, Brett Gallant, Ben HebertNiagara Falls, Ontario$175,000

Tier 2
Year Winning team Runner-up team Purse
2015British Columbia Jim Cotter, Ryan Kuhn, Tyrel Griffith, Rick SawatskyOntario Mark Kean, Bowie Abbis-Mills, Spencer Nuttall, Fraser Reid$50,000
2016Ontario Greg Balsdon, Jonathan Beuk, David Staples, Scott ChadwickOntario Glenn Howard, Richard Hart, David Mathers, Scott Howard$50,000
2017Manitoba Jason Gunnlaugson, Alex Forrest, Ian McMillan, Connor NjegovanManitoba William Lyburn, Richard Daneault, Jared Kolomaya, Braden Zawada$50,000
2018Saskatchewan Kirk Muyres, Kevin Marsh, Dan Marsh, Dallan MuyresOntario Scott McDonald, Jonathan Beuk, Don Bowser, Scott Chadwick$50,000
2019United States Korey Dropkin, Thomas Howell, Mark Fenner, Alex Fenson, Joe PoloManitoba Tanner Horgan, Colton Lott, Kyle Doering, Tanner Lott$50,000
2020 Cancelled
2021 Cancelled
2022United States Korey Dropkin, Andrew Stopera, Mark Fenner, Thomas Howell, Ben RichardsonAlberta Aaron Sluchinski, Jeremy Harty, Kerr Drummond, Dylan Webster$50,000
2023United States Daniel Casper, Luc Violette, Ben Richardson, Chase SinnettJapan Yusuke Morozumi, Yuta Matsumura, Ryotaro Shukuya, Masaki Iwai, Kosuke Morozumi$60,000

Tier 1
Year Winning team Runner-up team Location Purse
2015Switzerland Silvana Tirinzoni, Manuela Siegrist, Esther Neuenschwander, Marlene AlbrechtOntario Rachel Homan, Emma Miskew, Joanne Courtney, Lisa WeagleParadise, Newfoundland and Labrador$100,000
2016Alberta Val Sweeting, Lori Olson-Johns, Dana Ferguson, Rachelle BrownManitoba Michelle Englot, Kate Cameron, Leslie Wilson-Westcott, Raunora WestcottCranbrook, British Columbia$100,000
2017Alberta Val Sweeting, Lori Olson-Johns, Dana Ferguson, Rachelle BrownSweden Anna Hasselborg, Sara McManus, Agnes Knochenhauer, Sofia MabergsRegina, Saskatchewan$100,000
2018Ontario Rachel Homan, Emma Miskew, Joanne Courtney, Lisa WeagleManitoba Tracy Fleury, Selena Njegovan, Liz Fyfe, Kristin MacCuishThunder Bay, Ontario$100,000
2019Sweden Anna Hasselborg, Sara McManus, Agnes Knochenhauer, Sofia MabergsManitoba Kerri Einarson, Val Sweeting, Shannon Birchard, Briane MeilleurWestville Road, Nova Scotia$120,000
2020 Cancelled
2021 Cancelled
2022Ontario Rachel Homan (Fourth), Tracy Fleury (Skip), Emma Miskew, Sarah WilkesManitoba Kerri Einarson, Val Sweeting, Shannon Birchard, Briane HarrisGrande Prairie, Alberta$120,000
2023Manitoba Jennifer Jones, Karlee Burgess, Emily Zacharias, Lauren LenentineManitoba Kaitlyn Lawes, Selena Njegovan, Jocelyn Peterman, Kristin MacCuishNiagara Falls, Ontario$175,000

Tier 2
Year Winning team Runner-up team Purse
2015Manitoba Kerri Einarson, Selena Kaatz, Liz Fyfe, Kristin MacCuishSaskatchewan Amber Holland, Cindy Ricci, Larisa Murray, Debbie Lozinski$50,000
2016Ontario Jacqueline Harrison, Janet Murphy, Stephanie Matheson, Melissa FosterOntario Krista McCarville, Kendra Lilly, Ashley Sippala, Sarah Potts$50,000
2017Manitoba Kerri Einarson, Selena Kaatz, Liz Fyfe, Kristin MacCuishAlberta Chelsea Carey, Cathy Overton-Clapham, Jocelyn Peterman, Laine Peters$50,000
2018Switzerland Briar Hürlimann (Fourth), Elena Stern (Skip), Lisa Gisler, Céline KollerJapan Sayaka Yoshimura, Kaho Onodera, Anna Ohmiya, Yumie Funayama$50,000
2019South Korea Kim Min-ji, Ha Seung-youn, Kim Hye-rin, Yang Tae-i, Kim Su-jinOntario Jestyn Murphy, Carly Howard, Stephanie Matheson, Grace Holyoke$50,000
2020 Cancelled
2021 Cancelled
2022British Columbia Clancy Grandy, Kayla MacMillan, Lindsay Dubue, Sarah LokenAlberta Jessie Hunkin, Kristen Streifel, Becca Hebert, Dayna Demers$50,000
2023South Korea Kim Eun-jung, Kim Kyeong-ae, Kim Cho-hi, Kim Seon-yeong, Kim Yeong-miDenmark Madeleine Dupont, Mathilde Halse, Jasmin Lander, My Larsen, Denise Dupont$60,000

References
  1. "About the Tour Challenge". grandslamofcurling.com. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  2. "HearingLife Tour Challenge Format and Qualification". grandslamofcurling.com. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
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