Jennifer Jones and Reid Carruthers Win PointsBet Curling Titles
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Jennifer Jones and Reid Carruthers were the winners of the first PointsBet Invitational on Sunday with their Manitoba curling teams each pocketing $50,000 in prize money.
Jones beat Casey Scheidegger’s side, with Kristie Moore replacing Scheidegger’s absence, in the women’s final 7-4.
Carruthers doubled Matt Dunstone 8-4 in the Men’s Championship game at Willie O’Ree Place in Fredericton.
Both teams have won four straight games to collect the winners’ checks.
WATCH | Jones leads the way to victory in the PointsBet Invitational final:
Jennifer Jones defeated Casey Scheidegger 7-4 in nine ends to win the $50,000 prize Sunday in Edmonton.
Jones, an Olympic gold medalist and two-time world champion, and Carruthers are both jumping new teams this season.
Jones, 48, leads a team of under-25 curlers that won national and world junior titles just two years ago.
Karlee Burgess, Mackenzie Zacharias, Lauren Lenentine and alternate Emily Zacharias complete the Jones rink.
« We felt [chemistry] instantly, and I wasn’t sure because they were already an existing team, and I’m only a few years older than them, so I didn’t know how this would all work out,” Jones joked.
« Honestly, I feel like it’s so easy. They’re easy to be around, and I feel like we’ve just become a united team, which is crazy because we’re only in september. »
Jones is working on a 12-game winning streak with his new team that dates back to the Saville Shoot-Out in Edmonton earlier this month.
The team went 8-0 and beat Rachel Homan in the final there.
« Confidence Building »
Carruthers, vice Jason Gunnlaugson and forward Derek Samagalski and point guard Connor Njegovan picked up their first victory of the 2022-23 season.
Carruthers couldn’t remember a bigger payday in his curling career.
« It’s unreal, » Carruthers said. « New [Olympic] quad, new team and we win our third spiel, and to beat some of the top teams, and our provincial rival, a great team in Dunstone, oh yeah that’s a confidence booster. »
WATCH | Carruthers defeats Dunstone in the men’s final:
Reid Carruthers and his home rink beat Team Dunstone 8-4 in Sunday’s PointsBet Invitational final in Edmonton.
Jones was the No. 5 seed against No. 6 Scheidegger in Sunday’s final.
After shutting out the first end, Jones scored two goals in the second and added two in the fourth and eighth ends, while holding Moore to singles with a hammer.
« They made a lot of good shots and I just didn’t finish in a few ends, most definitely, » Moore said.
Jones’ vice Zacharias, who was previously skip and now throws second rocks, says she and her teammates are thriving with Jones leading the charge.
« She’s been such a great leader for our team and we’re so privileged to have the chance to play with her, » Zacharias said.
« We’re all having fun there too, which is the icing on the cake. »
WATCH l Catch up on a new season with That Curling Show:
Hosts Devin Heroux and Colleen Jones kick off a new season of curling by catching up on all the new teams and chatting with Rachel Homan, Jennifer Jones, Brett Gallant and Brad Gushue.
Carruthers took control of the men’s final by scoring twice in the fourth and sixth ends and stealing a point in the seventh for a 6-2 lead.
Dunstone scored his first two in the eighth, but Carruthers replied with a two in the ninth.
Dunstone had a chance to score three goals in the seventh and draw, but wrecked on a guard to give up the steal.
« I let the guys down today with that shot, » Dunstone said. « It sucks. The guys only gave me opportunities today and I couldn’t take advantage of them.
« I just threw a little light. You can’t do that over there. Just a bad throw. »
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