The organizing committee of the Grand Slam of Curling is set to convene this week to address a contentious conclusion at the Co-op Invitational event that propelled two Canadian teams into the playoffs, sparking criticism from an American squad that missed the cut.
During the final end of their round-robin match on Friday night at Victoria’s Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre, boos resonated as skips Matt Dunstone and Brendan Bottcher opted for a defensive strategy by throwing stones through the house early on. Bottcher eventually secured a point to force a shootout, ensuring both teams advanced while sidelining Danny Casper’s rink from playoff contention.
Team Casper’s second, Ben Richardson, expressed disappointment over the perceived lack of competitiveness, stating that the televised event portrayed a negative image of the sport. Typically, a close game would lead to an intense final end, but with the playoff implications clear, both teams chose a cautious approach.
Critics in the audience voiced their displeasure as it became apparent that the teams were content with a tie, dampening the excitement of a potential dramatic finish. Despite the backlash, Dunstone defended the strategy, emphasizing that the format influenced their decisions.
The game’s outcome saw Dunstone secure a 6-5 shootout win, earning two points, while Bottcher garnered one point in the loss, securing the final playoff spot with seven points as Casper fell short with six points. Richardson questioned the teams’ lack of effort to secure a win in the last end, highlighting the contentious nature of the match.
The early shots in the eighth end drew criticism, with spectators expressing their disapproval through jeers and chants. Broadcast commentators speculated on a potential mutual understanding between the teams to ensure their playoff berths, although both skips denied any prearranged agreement.
Following the match, both Dunstone and Bottcher denied any collusion, attributing the game’s progression to the unfolding scoreboard dynamics. While the CEO of the Grand Slam of Curling expressed support for the scoring system, he acknowledged the unsatisfactory nature of the match’s conclusion, empathizing with the Casper team.
The competition committee is scheduled to convene to address the incident, with Dunstone and Bottcher proceeding to face subsequent challenges in the playoffs. Despite the outcome, concerns about the integrity of high-level curling were raised, with calls for potential sanctions in similar scenarios.
The next event on the circuit is the GSOC Masters in Medicine Hat, Alta., from November 3 to 8.
