Brad Jacobs emerged victorious over Brendan Bottcher with a score of 5-3 in a thrilling all-Canadian men’s quarterfinal at the Co-op Invitational of the Grand Slam of Curling in Victoria. This win extended the impeccable record of the Olympic champions to 5-0 in the tournament.
In a parallel event on the women’s side, Canadian Kerri Einarson secured a spot in the semifinals by executing a remarkable three-point play with the final stone, narrowly defeating Japan’s Miyu Ueno 6-5. This victory served as a redemption for Einarson after suffering a 9-4 loss to Ueno earlier in the round-robin stage at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.
Einarson is set to face off against South Korea’s Gim Eun-ji in the upcoming semifinal match scheduled for Saturday at 10:30 p.m. ET. Viewers can catch the action live on CBC Sports Primetime, the newest Saturday-night program on CBC TV and the free CBC Gem streaming service.
Turning to the men’s semifinals, Jacobs will be pitted against Switzerland’s Yannick Schwaller, the top-ranked skip in the world. Schwaller secured his spot by defeating reigning Brier champion Matt Dunstone of Winnipeg with a score of 5-3.
On the women’s side, Switzerland’s Xenia Schwaller will compete against South Korea’s Kang Bo-bae in the other semifinal match. In the men’s division, Swiss skip Marco Hösli will take on Norway’s Magnus Ramsfjell for a chance to claim the final spot in the men’s final.
Jacobs and his Calgary-based team, participating in their first event in six months, displayed a dominant performance in the quarterfinals, leading from the start. Despite a competitive match, Jacobs maintained control with strategic plays, ultimately securing the victory and advancing to the semifinals.
This win brings Jacobs closer to his first Grand Slam title alongside his team. A victory in the current competition would mark a significant milestone for Marc Kennedy, potentially earning him his 18th Slam title and equalling Kevin Martin’s men’s record.
In contrast, Bottcher faced defeat at the hands of his former teammates for the second time in a week. Kennedy, Brett Gallant, and Ben Hebert, who previously played alongside Bottcher in the 2023 Players’ Open, teamed up with Jacobs and emerged victorious in their latest encounter.
The stage is set for intense matchups as the competition progresses, promising more excitement and high-stakes battles in the Grand Slam of Curling in Victoria.