Jones, Edin take home Players’ titles

TORONTO — Make it six Players’ Championship titles for Jennifer Jones.

The Winnipeg skip downed Edmonton’s Val Sweeting 8-4 on Sunday to capture the Players’ Championship for the sixth time in her career.

“It’s amazing,” said Jones. “We were a little bit disappointed not being at the Scotties and we really focused on playing well here.”

Jones, backed by third Kaitlyn Lawes, second Jill Officer and lead Dawn McEwen, scored a deuce in the opening end only to have Sweeting respond with two of her own in the second. Jones then grabbed three in the third and never looked back.

Sweeting had singles in the third and fourth ends to make it 5-4, but Jones added another two in the sixth and a single in the seventh, with the two skips shaking hands without playing the eighth.

Jones has also won the Grand Slam of Curling event in 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2014.

It wasn’t all bad news for Sweeting and her crew on Sunday.

Sweeting, third Lori OlsonJohns, second Dana Ferguson and lead Rachel Brown won the women’s Rogers Grand Slam Cup for being the season’s point leader on the Tour.

On the men’s side, Sweden’s Niklas Edin continued his dominance on the Grand Slam Tour.

Edin downed Winnipeg’s Mike McEwen 5-3 on Sunday to win the Players’ Championship.

It’s the third Grand Slam of Curling trophy of the season for Edin’s team of third Oskar Eriksson, second Rasmus Wrana and lead Christoffer Sundgren.

“This is probably the toughest event to win, as well. Every team has had a long and good season,” Edin said.

Edin also earned the men’s Rogers Grand Slam Cup for earning the most points of any skip.

The Swedish rink trailed 3-2 after five ends, but scored singles in each of the next three for the victory.

McEwen, backed by third B.J. Neufeld, second Matt Wozniak and lead Denni Neufeld, was playing in his third Players’ Championship final.