Jones tops fellow Canadian Lawes to win 10th career Grand Slam of Curling title
Jennifer Jones defeated Kaitlyn Lawes 7-4 on Sunday to win the HearingLife Tour Challenge in Niagara Falls, Ont., for her 10th career Grand Slam of Curling title.
Jones, from Springwater, Ont., ran Lawes out of rocks in the eighth end for the victory. It was the first Slam title for Jones third Karlee Burgess, second Emily Zacharias and lead Lauren Lenentine.
“To have it happen so early [in the season] and just to be a part of their first Slam win [was special],” Jones said.
“They’re going to have a long career after I’m done and just to know that I was part of something with them is pretty special for all of us.”
WATCH | Jones wins Tour Challenge for 1st title with new rink:
Featured VideoJennifer Jones won her 10th career Grand Slam of Curling title, and first since 2019 and the first with her new Manitoba rink, against her longtime third Kaitlyn Lawes 7-4 in the Tour Challenge women’s final.
Lawes, from Winnipeg, opened with a single but Jones responded with three points in the second end and stole a point in the third.
Lawes made a draw for a deuce in the fourth end to make it a one-point game but she nosed a hit-and-roll attempt with her last throw in the fifth. Jones took advantage by making a runback for a pair.
“At this level, it’s just one shot here or there,” Jones said. “We’re just trying to make as many shots as we can.”
Lawes was a longtime vice for Jones before moving to the skip position with a new team for this quadrennial. Jones and Lawes won Olympic gold together at the 2014 Sochi Games.
WATCH | Reid Carruthers joins That Curling Show:
Featured VideoThat Curling Show returns for Season 3 with a recap of the PointsBet Invitation, a conversation with coach and skip Reid Carruthers and a look ahead to the biggest upcoming bonspiels.
Jones beat Switzerland’s Silvana Tirinzoni in the quarterfinal and Sweden’s Anna Hasselborg in the semifinal at the Gale Centre. Jones said she’s proud of her teammates’ determination against tough opponents.
South Korea’s EunJung Kim beat Denmark’s Madeleine Dupont 7-4 in the Tier 2 women’s final.
The men’s final between Italy’s Joel Retornaz and Brendan Bottcher of Spruce Grove, Alta., was scheduled for later Sunday at the Gale Centre.
