Epping, Kim win in Toronto on busy Thanksgiving weekend

John Epping and his new-look rink picked up their first win as a foursome over the Thanksgiving long weekend at the Stu Sells Toronto Tankard. 

Team Epping went a perfect 7-0 over the five-day event, including an 8-4 victory over South Korea's Team ByeongJin Jeong in Monday's championship game. 

Italy's Team Joel Retornaz, ranked second in the world, were also in Toronto, but were ousted in the quarterfinal by Norway's Team Magnus Ramsfjell. Ramsfjell and company dropped the semifinal to Epping's team. 

After representing Ontario for his entire curling career, the 41-year-old Epping is now competing out of Northern Ontario with Sudbury's Jake Horgan, Tanner Horgan and Ian McMillan. 

This was already the second win of the 2024-25 season for Team Epping after taking the KW Fall Classic in September. 

On the women's side of the draw, South Korea's Team Eunjung Kim downed Switzerland's Team Silvana Tirinzoni, ranked second in the world, 7-3, in the final. 

Team Kim punched their ticket to the final by topping Northern Ontario's Team Krista McCarville in the quarters and Switzerland's Team Xenia Schwaller in the semis. 

Sweden's Team Anna Hasselborg and Team Isabella Wrana squared off in the quarterfinals with the younger Wrana taking the contest, 5-4. Wrana lost to Tirinzoni in the semifinal. 

Kerry Galusha, Danielle Inglis, Kayla MacMillan and Laurie St-Georges all missed the playoff round. 

Gim takes Autumn Gold

The biggest event out West this weekend was the Curlers Corner Autumn Gold Curling Classic in Calgary. 

At the end of the four-day event it South Korea's Team Eunji Gim, the No. 3 team in the world, getting the better of China's Team Rui Wang in the championship game, 7-1. 

Team Gim defeated Japan's Team Satsuki Fujisawa in the quarters and Sexsmith's Team Robyn Silvernagle in the semis. 

Notable Canadian teams included Team Kayla Skrlik and Team Corryn Brown, who both fell in the quarters, as well as Team Beth Peterson, who lost to Team Wang in the semis. 

Winnipeg's Team Kaitlyn Lawes and Italy's Team Stefania Constantini both posted 2-3 records, not good enough to qualify for the playoffs. 

Grattan, Black win out East

At the Steele Cup Cash in Fredericton, N.B., it was Team James Grattan and Team Christina Black taking home the titles. 

Team Grattan of Oromocto, N.B., shut out Team Kendal Thompson in the final, 7-0, while Halifax's Team Black downed Team Melissa Adams, 6-2, in the women's championship game.

It marked the second straight win for Team Black after capturing the Tour Challenge Tier 2 title last week in Charlottetown.  

Other winners on Tour

MCT Challenge

Men - Riley Smith
Women - Lisa McLeod 

Regina Highland SaskTour Spiel

Men - Kelly Knapp
Women - Mandy Selzer

Capital Curling Classic

Men - Lindsay Thorne

McKee Homes Fall Curling Classic 

Men - Ryan Jacques 

Tallinn Ladies International Challenger

Women - Dilsat Yildiz