THE CANADIAN PRESS
QUEBEC — Four-time world curling champion Randy Ferbey, defending champion Kevin Martin, reigning world champ Glenn Howard and Olympic gold medallist Brad Gushue headline the $100,000 BDO Classic Canadian Open cashspiel opening Wednesday.
The first leg of the men’s Grand Slam of Curling, which is four cashspiels worth a total of $550,000 in prize money, will be staged at the new Pavillon de la Jeunesse in Quebec City and concludes with Sunday’s final.
The winning rink in the 18-team field earns $25,000, but teams are also playing for points to move up the Canadian rankings, which will ultimately determine the eight teams for the 2009 Olympic men’s curling trials.
Howard currently leads the 2007-08 men’s national rankings with 135 points, followed by Martin with 106 and Kevin Koe with 101. A victory in the Canadian Open is worth 36 points and second through 13th earn fewer points on a sliding scale.
CBC will broadcast Saturday’s semifinal at 7 p.m. ET.
The second leg of the Grand Slam will be The National in Port Hawkesbury, N.S., from Dec. 20 to 23 and the third is the Masters of Curling in Saskatoon from Jan. 20-23.
The location of the finale, the Tylenol Players Championship, from April 15 to 20 has yet to be announced.