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Vernon rink claims Elite 10 title

Vernon’s Team Morris registered a 1-up win over Team Jacobs (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) in the championship draw
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John Morris (left), Jim Cotter, Tyrel Griffith and Rick Sawatsky celebrate with the Princess Auto Elite 10 championship in Port Hawkesbury, N.S. Sunday - Anil Mungal/grand slam of curling.com photo

Following a rock solid performance at the Civic Centre, Vernon’s Team Morris has emerged victorious as the Princess Auto Elite 10 champion in Port Hawkesbury, N.S. Sunday.

Capturing its first title of the 2016/17 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling season, Team Morris registered a 1-up win over Team Jacobs (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) in the championship draw. With this victory, Team Morris takes home a $26,000 purse and qualifies for the Humpty’s Champions Cup, the final Grand Slam event of the season in Calgary.

“It feels phenomenal,” said skip John Morris.

The team also consists of Jim Cotter, Tyrel Griffith and Rick Sawatsky.

“Winning a Grand Slam, they’re such tough events to win. It feels great, especially when we’ve been so close with this team, coming out with a big win is huge. I had a tough Brier there and missed out on the playoffs, so coming back with a win here just a week later is massive for us.”

Held over four days at the Civic Centre, the Princess Auto Elite 10 featured nine of the top men’s teams in the world in addition to the newly added Select team. The Select team, comprised of curling alumni Nolan Thiessen (Calgary), Jamie Korab (St. John’s N.L.), Dave Nedohin (Sherwood Park, Alta.), skip Jeff Stoughton (Winnipeg), were ousted in the quarter-finals on Saturday after losing 2-and-1 against Team Carruthers (Winnipeg).

The next event of the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling season is the WestJet Players’ Championship, the sixth event of the Grand Slam season. Featuring the world’s best 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams, the WestJet Players’ Championship, kicks off Tuesday, April 11 at the Ryerson’s Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto.

For full scoring and event details, visit www.thegrandslamofcurling.com.

Additional events in the 2016-17 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling series include the Humpty’s Champions Cup April 25 to 30 in Calgary.