Scotties Tournament of Hearts

The Scotties Tournament of Hearts (Le Tournoi des Cœurs Scotties; commonly referred to as the Scotties) is the annual Canadian women's curling championship, sanctioned by Curling Canada, formerly called the Canadian Curling Association. The winner goes on to represent Canada at the women's world curling championships. Since 1985, the winner also gets to return to the following year's tournament as "Team Canada". It is formally known as the "Canadian Women's Curling Championship".

Since 1982, the tournament has been sponsored by Kruger Products, which was formerly known as Scott Paper Limited when it was a Canadian subsidiary of Scott Paper Company. As such, the tournament was formerly known as the Scott Tournament of Hearts; when Kimberly-Clark merged with Scott, the Canadian arm was sold to the Quebec-based Kruger Inc. – while Kruger was granted a license to use several Scott brands in Canada until June 2007, it was given a long-term license to the Scotties brand because Kimberly-Clark already owned Kleenex. As such, the tournament was officially renamed the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in 2007.

Until 2018, the format was a round robin of 12 teams. Starting with the 2015 Scotties Tournament of Hearts there have been more than twelve eligible teams; therefore a pre-qualification tournament was held to trim the field to twelve. In 2021, a new 18-team format was introduced, in which all 14 member associations of Curling Canada field a team in a main draw of two pools, alongside the defending champions, and the three highest-ranked teams on the Canadian Team Ranking System standings that did not win their provincial championships. The teams are separated into two pools of nine, each playing a round-robin within their pool, with the top three teams in each pool advancing to a second round to determine the final four teams.

At the end of the second round, playoffs occur to determine the championship winner. The system used is known as the Page playoff system.

Pre-history
1913 marked a significant point in women's curling when both the Manitoba Bonspiel and the Ontario Curling Association began holding women's curling events. Other provinces would later add provincial women's championships, but it wasn't until the 1950s that a higher level of women's curling began to occur. At this time there was a Western Canada Women's Curling Championship (sponsored by the T. Eaton Company) but no tournament existed for the eastern provinces. By 1959, Eaton's pulled their sponsorship, giving the organizers of the Western championships an initiative to have a national championship.

In 1960, the Canadian Ladies' Curling Association was created with Dominion Stores Ltd. seeking to sponsor a national championship. That year, an eastern championship occurred so that the winner could play the winner of the western championship in an invitational event. In this event, Ruth Smith and her team from Lacolle, Quebec faced off against Joyce McKee's team from Saskatchewan (consisting of Sylvia Fedoruk, Donna Belding and Muriel Coben) with McKee winning the best-of-three series two games to none. The games between the two teams were played in Oshawa, Ontario.

The following year a tournament was organized with the same format as the Brier and was held in Ottawa. McKee won again, with a new front end of Barbara MacNevin and Rosa McFee.

Early history
In 1967, Dominion Stores were unable to reach a compromise with the organizers of the tournament, and their sponsorship fell. The Canadian Ladies' Curling Association ran the tournament by themselves with no main sponsor.

Sylvia Fedoruk, after assuming the presidency of the Canadian Ladies' Curling Association found a title sponsor in the Macdonald Tobacco Company, the same sponsor as the Brier. Their sponsorship began in 1972 with the tournament being called the "Macdonald Lassie" championship, after the company's trademark.

In 1979, under increasing pressure from the anti-tobacco policies of the Canadian Government, the Macdonald Tobacco Company pulled their sponsorship from both the Brier and the Women's championship. The Canadian Ladies' Curling Association ran the tournament without a main sponsor again for the next couple of years. 1979 also marked the first year of the Women's World Curling Championship, where the national champion would play. Also, the 1979 event was the first tournament to feature a playoff. Before then, the championship team was the one with the best round robin record.

Tournament of Hearts
Robin Wilson, a member of the 1979 championship team, and a former employee of Scott Paper led an effort to get the company to sponsor the championships. It was successful, and in 1982 the first Scott Tournament of Hearts was held.

The Scott Tournament of Hearts would last 25 years, and saw the likes of many great teams. The first Tournament of Hearts was won by Colleen Jones and her Nova Scotia team. It would take her 17 years to win another, but she would cap it off with another four championships for a grand total of six championships. In 2018, Colleen Jones' feat of six championships was equaled by Manitoba's Jennifer Jones. Other great curlers at the Hearts have been Kerri Einarson and Connie Laliberte of Manitoba, Heather Houston, Marilyn Bodogh and Rachel Homan of Ontario, Vera Pezer and Sandra Schmirler of Saskatchewan, Cathy Borst, Shannon Kleibrink and Chelsea Carey of Alberta and Lindsay Sparkes and Kelly Scott of British Columbia.

The new sponsorship made the tournament popular when it began to be televised. Today, TSN covers the entire tournament. CBC had covered the semi-finals and the finals up until the 2007–08 season. In 2013, Sportsnet and Citytv began to offer coverage of the finals of the provincial playdowns in Manitoba, Ontario, and Alberta as well.

As a Tournament of Hearts tradition, the members of the winning team receive gold rings in the four-heart design of the Tournament of Hearts logo, set with a .25-carat diamond. The runners-up receive the same rings, with rubies instead of diamonds, and the third-place team receives gold rings set with emeralds.

Starting with the 2024 tournament, the first all-star team was entitled the Robin Wilson First All-Star Team.

Top 3 finishes table
As of the 2024 Scotties Tournament of Hearts

Sandra Schmirler Most Valuable Player Award
The Sandra Schmirler Most Valuable Player Award is awarded by the media to the most valuable player during the playoffs at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. The 2023 winner was Kerri Einarson of Team Canada.

Shot of the Week Award
The Shot of the Week Award is presented by the organizing committee to the player who makes the most outstanding shot during the tournament. The award has not been presented since 2013.

Marj Mitchell Sportsmanship Award
The Marj Mitchell Sportsmanship Award is awarded annually to the most sportsmanlike curler at the Tournament of Hearts every year. The award has been presented since 1982, and has been named in Mitchell's honour since 1998. In 2024, the Marj Mitchell Sportsmanship Award was presented to Danielle Inglis of Ontario.

Joan Mead Builder Award
The Joan Mead Builder Award, named after CBC producer Joan Mead, goes to someone in the curling community that significantly contributes to the growth and development of women's curling in Canada. It has been awarded annually since 2001.

Winners


 * 2001: Lloyd Stansell
 * 2002: Warren Hansen
 * 2003: Vic Rauter
 * 2004: Vera Pezer
 * 2005: Shirley Morash
 * 2006: Robin Wilson
 * 2007: Muriel Fage
 * 2008: Don Wittman
 * 2009: Linda Bolton
 * 2010: Anne Merklinger
 * 2011: Elaine Dagg-Jackson, Canadian Curling Association National Team Coach
 * 2012: Cheryl Bernard, four-time Scotties Tournament of Hearts participant, Olympic silver medalist
 * 2013: Andrew Klaver, Scotties Tournament of Hearts photographer
 * 2014: Linda Moore
 * 2015: Bernadette McIntyre
 * 2016: Renée Sonnenberg
 * 2017: Wendy Morgan, both Program Manager and national team leader of Curling Canada's wheelchair curling program
 * 2018: Melissa Soligo
 * 2019: Leslie Ann Walsh
 * 2020: Deanna Rindal, umpire at provincial and national curling tournaments
 * 2021: Shannon Kleibrink, five-time Scotties Tournament of Hearts participant, Olympic bronze medalist
 * 2022: Leslie Kerr, inaugural Executive Director of the Northern Ontario Curling Association from 2007 to 2020, after guiding the amalgamation of 5 regional curling associations into the NOCA.
 * 2023: Dianne Barker, umpire at provincial, national, World, and three Olympic curling tournaments, board member of Curl BC and Curling Canada
 * 2024: Brenda Rogers, Chief Umpire for the 2024 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, 20 years experience as Head Official for either Curling Alberta or the Southern Alberta Curling Association

All-Star teams
Robin Wilson First Team
 * 2024
 * Skip: Rachel Homan, Ontario (Homan)
 * Third: Tracy Fleury, Ontario (Homan)
 * Second: Emma Miskew, Ontario (Homan)
 * Lead: Krysten Karwacki, Team Canada

Second Team
 * Skip: Kerri Einarson, Team Canada
 * Third: Karlee Burgess, Manitoba (Jones)
 * Second: Shannon Birchard, Team Canada
 * Lead: Sarah Wilkes, Ontario (Homan)

First Team
 * 2023
 * Skip: Kerri Einarson, Team Canada
 * Third: Val Sweeting, Team Canada
 * Second: Shannon Birchard, Team Canada
 * Lead: Sarah Potts, Northern Ontario

Second Team
 * Skip: Rachel Homan, Ontario
 * Third: Laura Walker, Wild Card 1
 * Second: Emma Miskew, Ontario
 * Lead: Briane Harris, Team Canada

First Team
 * 2022
 * Skip: Kerri Einarson, Team Canada
 * Third: Val Sweeting, Team Canada
 * Second: Shannon Birchard, Team Canada
 * Lead: Briane Meilleur, Team Canada

Second Team
 * Skip: Selena Njegovan, Wild Card 1
 * Third: Sarah Wilkes, Wild Card 3
 * Second: Ashley Sippala, Northern Ontario
 * Lead: Kerry Galusha, Northwest Territories (skip; threw lead stones)

First Team
 * 2021
 * Skip: Kerri Einarson, Team Canada
 * Third: Val Sweeting, Team Canada
 * Second: Shannon Birchard, Team Canada
 * Lead: Lisa Weagle, Manitoba

Second Team
 * Skip: Rachel Homan, Ontario
 * Third: Selena Njegovan, Wild Card 1
 * Second: Jocelyn Peterman, Manitoba
 * Lead: Joanne Courtney, Ontario

First Team
 * 2020
 * Skip: Rachel Homan, Ontario
 * Third: Val Sweeting, Manitoba
 * Second: Shannon Birchard, Manitoba
 * Lead: Lisa Weagle, Ontario

Second Team
 * Skip: Kerri Einarson, Manitoba
 * Third: Emma Miskew, Ontario
 * Second: Joanne Courtney, Ontario
 * Lead: Rachelle Brown, Team Canada

First Team
 * 2019
 * Skip: Rachel Homan, Ontario
 * Third: Emma Miskew, Ontario
 * Second: Jen Gates, Northern Ontario
 * Lead: Dawn McEwen, Team Canada

Second Team
 * Skip: Krista McCarville, Northern Ontario
 * Third: Kendra Lilly, Northern Ontario
 * Second: Joanne Courtney, Ontario
 * Lead: Sarah Potts, Northern Ontario

First Team
 * 2018
 * Skip: Jennifer Jones, Manitoba
 * Third: Cary-Anne McTaggart, Alberta
 * Second: Jill Officer, Manitoba
 * Lead: Dawn McEwen, Manitoba

Second Team
 * Skip: Tracy Fleury, Northern Ontario
 * Third: Shannon Birchard, Manitoba
 * Second: Jessie Scheidegger, Alberta
 * Lead: Raunora Westcott, Team Canada

First Team
 * 2017
 * Skip: Rachel Homan, Ontario
 * Third: Emma Miskew, Ontario
 * Second: Joanne Courtney, Ontario
 * Lead: Blaine de Jager, British Columbia

Second Team
 * Skip: Chelsea Carey, Team Canada
 * Third: Shannon Aleksic, British Columbia
 * Second: Sarah Wilkes, Alberta
 * Lead: Lisa Weagle, Ontario

First Team
 * 2016
 * Skip: Jennifer Jones, Team Canada
 * Third: Kaitlyn Lawes, Team Canada
 * Second: Jill Officer, Team Canada
 * Lead: Dawn McEwen, Team Canada

Second Team
 * Skip: Chelsea Carey, Alberta
 * Third: Ashley Howard, Saskatchewan
 * Second: Liz Fyfe, Manitoba
 * Lead: Sarah Potts, Northern Ontario

First Team
 * 2015
 * Skip: Stefanie Lawton, Saskatchewan
 * Third: Kaitlyn Lawes, Manitoba
 * Second: Jill Officer, Manitoba
 * Lead: Dawn McEwen, Manitoba

Second Team
 * Skip: Jennifer Jones, Manitoba
 * Third: Lori Olson-Johns, Alberta
 * Second: Stephanie Schmidt, Saskatchewan
 * Lead: Lisa Weagle, Team Canada

First Team
 * 2014
 * Skip: Rachel Homan, Team Canada
 * Third: Emma Miskew, Team Canada
 * Second: Alison Kreviazuk, Team Canada
 * Lead: Teri Lake, Nova Scotia

Second Team
 * Skip: Chelsea Carey, Manitoba
 * Third: Sherry Anderson, Saskatchewan
 * Second: Sherri Singler, Saskatchewan
 * Lead: Morgan Court, Ontario

First Team
 * 2013
 * Skip: Jennifer Jones, Manitoba
 * Third: Kaitlyn Lawes, Manitoba
 * Second: Alison Kreviazuk, Ontario
 * Lead: Dawn Askin, Manitoba

Second Team
 * Skip: Rachel Homan, Ontario
 * Third: Jeanna Schraeder, British Columbia
 * Second: Jill Officer, Manitoba
 * Lead: Laine Peters, Canada

First Team
 * 2012
 * Skip: Jennifer Jones, Manitoba
 * Third: Kaitlyn Lawes, Manitoba
 * Second: Jill Officer, Manitoba
 * Lead: Dawn Askin, Manitoba

Second Team
 * Skip: Kelly Scott, British Columbia
 * Third: Beth Iskiw, Alberta
 * Second: Jessica Mair, Alberta
 * Lead: Laine Peters, Alberta

First Team
 * 2011
 * Skip: Jennifer Jones, Team Canada
 * Third: Kaitlyn Lawes, Team Canada
 * Second: Jill Officer, Team Canada
 * Lead: Dawn Askin, Team Canada

Second Team
 * Skip: Amber Holland, Saskatchewan
 * Third: Kim Schneider, Saskatchewan
 * Second: Tammy Schneider, Saskatchewan
 * Lead: Chelsey Bell, Alberta

First Team
 * 2010
 * Skip: Kelly Scott, British Columbia
 * Third: Cathy Overton-Clapham, Team Canada
 * Second: Jill Officer, Team Canada
 * Lead: Dawn Askin, Team Canada

Second Team
 * Skip: Jennifer Jones, Team Canada
 * Third: Jeanna Schraeder, British Columbia
 * Second: Sasha Carter, British Columbia
 * Lead: Jacquie Armstrong, British Columbia

First Team
 * 2009
 * Skip: Stefanie Lawton, Saskatchewan
 * Third: Cathy Overton-Clapham, Team Canada
 * Second: Diane Gushulak, British Columbia
 * Lead: Lana Vey, Saskatchewan

Second Team
 * Skip: Marla Mallett, British Columbia
 * Third: Grace MacInnes, British Columbia
 * Second: Sherri Singler, Saskatchewan
 * Lead: Joëlle Sabourin, Quebec

First Team
 * 2008
 * Skip: Shannon Kleibrink, Alberta
 * Third: Amy Nixon, Alberta
 * Second: Jill Officer, Manitoba
 * Lead: Chelsey Bell, Alberta

Second Team
 * Skip: Sherry Middaugh, Ontario
 * Third: Cathy Overton-Clapham, Manitoba
 * Second: Sasha Carter, Team Canada
 * Lead: Dawn Askin, Manitoba

First Team
 * 2007
 * Skip: Kelly Scott, Team Canada
 * Third: Jeanna Schraeder, Team Canada
 * Second: Jill Officer, Manitoba
 * Lead: Marcia Gudereit, Saskatchewan

Second Team
 * Skip: Jan Betker, Saskatchewan
 * Third: Lana Vey, Saskatchewan
 * Second: Sasha Carter, Team Canada
 * Lead: Darah Provencal, British Columbia

First Team
 * 2006
 * Skip: Kelly Scott, British Columbia
 * Third: Jeanna Schraeder, British Columbia
 * Second: Mary-Anne Arsenault, Nova Scotia
 * Lead: Georgina Wheatcroft, Team Canada

Second Team
 * Skip: Heather Strong, Newfoundland and Labrador
 * Third: Cathy Overton-Clapham, Team Canada
 * Second: Sasha Carter, British Columbia
 * Lead: Nancy Delahunt, Nova Scotia

First Team
 * 2005
 * Skip: Jennifer Jones, Manitoba
 * Third: Marliese Miller, Saskatchewan
 * Second: Dawn Askin, Ontario
 * Lead: Nancy Delahunt, Team Canada

Second Team
 * Skip: Jenn Hanna, Ontario
 * Third: Pascale Letendre, Ontario
 * Second: Sherri Singler, Saskatchewan
 * Lead: Susan O'Leary, Newfoundland and Labrador

First Team
 * 2004
 * Skip: Colleen Jones, Team Canada
 * Third: Amy Nixon, Alberta
 * Second: Maureen Bonar, Manitoba
 * Lead: Nancy Delahunt, Team Canada

Second Team
 * Skip: Lois Fowler, Manitoba
 * Third: Kim Kelly, Team Canada
 * Second: Mary-Anne Arsenault, Team Canada
 * Lead: Heather Martin, Newfoundland and Labrador

First Team
 * 2003
 * Skip: Colleen Jones, Team Canada
 * Third: Sherry Linton, Saskatchewan
 * Second: Robyn MacPhee, Prince Edward Island
 * Lead: Nancy Delahunt, Team Canada

Second Team
 * Skip: Suzanne Gaudet, Prince Edward Island
 * Third: Rebecca Jean MacPhee, Prince Edward Island
 * Second: Joan McCusker, Saskatchewan
 * Lead: Kate Horne, Alberta

First Team
 * 2002
 * Skip: Sherry Anderson, Saskatchewan
 * Third: Janet Brown, Ontario
 * Second: Mary-Anne Waye, Team Canada
 * Lead: Nancy Delahunt, Team Canada

Second Team
 * Skip: Sherry Middaugh, Ontario
 * Third: Lawnie MacDonald, Alberta
 * Second: Lynn Fallis-Kurz, Manitoba
 * Lead: Allison Franey, New Brunswick

First Team
 * 2001
 * Skip: Marie-France Larouche, Quebec
 * Third: Kim Kelly, Nova Scotia
 * Second: Georgina Wheatcroft, Team Canada
 * Lead: Sheri Cordina, Ontario

Second Team
 * Skip: Kelley Law, Team Canada
 * Third: Lisa Whitaker, British Columbia
 * Second: Roberta Materi, Saskatchewan
 * Lead: Karen McNamee, Alberta

First Team
 * 2000
 * Skip: Connie Laliberte, Manitoba
 * Third: Cathy Overton-Clapham, Manitoba
 * Second: Karen Daku, Saskatchewan
 * Lead: Tricia MacGregor, Prince Edward Island

Second Team
 * Skip: Anne Merklinger, Ontario
 * Third: Cathy Walter, Saskatchewan
 * Second: Debbie Jones-Walker, Manitoba
 * Lead: Nancy Delahunt, Team Canada

First Team
 * 1999
 * Skip: Colleen Jones, Nova Scotia
 * Third: Heather Godberson, Team Canada
 * Second: Brenda Bohmer, Team Canada
 * Lead: Lou Ann Henry, Prince Edward Island

Second Team
 * Skip: Connie Laliberte, Manitoba
 * Third: Marcy Balderston, Alberta
 * Second: Mary-Anne Waye, Nova Scotia
 * Lead: Kate Horne, Team Canada

First Team
 * 1998
 * Skip: Cathy Borst, Alberta
 * Third: Jan Betker, Team Canada
 * Second: Brenda Bohmer, Alberta
 * Lead: Marcia Gudereit, Team Canada

Second Team
 * Skip: Anne Merklinger, Ontario
 * Third: Heather Godberson, Alberta
 * Second: Patti McKnight, Ontario
 * Lead: Heather Hopkins, Nova Scotia

First Team
 * 1997
 * Skip: Sandra Schmirler, Saskatchewan
 * Third: Jan Betker, Saskatchewan
 * Second: Joan McCusker, Saskatchewan
 * Lead: Jane Hooper, Team Canada

Second Team
 * Skip: Alison Goring, Ontario
 * Third: Heather Godberson, Alberta
 * Second: Corie Beveridge, Team Canada
 * Lead: Heather Martin, Newfoundland


 * 1996
 * Skip: Sherry Scheirich, Saskatchewan
 * Third: Kim Gellard, Ontario
 * Second: Tricia MacGregor, Prince Edward Island
 * Lead: Judy Pendergast, Alberta


 * 1995
 * Skip: Rebecca MacPhee, Prince Edward Island
 * Third: Kay Montgomery, Saskatchewan
 * Second: Joan McCusker, Team Canada
 * Lead: Janet Arnott, Manitoba


 * 1994
 * Skip: Laura Phillips, Newfoundland
 * Third: Jan Betker, Team Canada
 * Second: Joan McCusker, Team Canada
 * Lead: Kim Kelly, Nova Scotia


 * 1993
 * Skip: Sandra Peterson, Saskatchewan
 * Third: Cathy Cunningham, Newfoundland
 * Second: Patti McKnight, Ontario
 * Lead: Mary-Anne Waye, Nova Scotia


 * 1992
 * Skip: Lisa Walker, British Columbia
 * Third: Kathy Fahlman, Saskatchewan
 * Second: Kim Kelly, Nova Scotia
 * Lead: Karri Willms, Team Canada


 * 1991
 * Skip: Julie Sutton, British Columbia
 * Third: Jackie-Rae Greening, Alberta
 * Second: Sheri Stewart, New Brunswick
 * Lead: Cheryl McPherson, Team Canada


 * 1990
 * Skip: Heather Rankin, Nova Scotia
 * Third: Jackie-Rae Greening, Alberta
 * Second: Andrea Lawes, Ontario
 * Lead: Lorie Kehler, Saskatchewan


 * 1989
 * Skip: Chris More, Manitoba
 * Third: Karen Purdy, Manitoba
 * Second: Diane Alexander, Alberta
 * Lead: Tracy Kennedy, Team Canada


 * 1988
 * Skip: Michelle Schneider, Saskatchewan
 * Third: Cindy Tucker, British Columbia
 * Second: Georgina Hawkes, British Columbia
 * Lead: Tracy Kennedy, Ontario


 * 1987
 * Skip: Kathie Ellwood, Manitoba
 * Third: Sandra Schmirler, Saskatchewan
 * Second: Jan Betker, Saskatchewan
 * Lead: Sheila Schneider, Saskatchewan


 * 1986
 * Skip: Linda Moore, Team Canada
 * Third: Kathy McEdwards, Ontario
 * Second: Chris Gervais, Saskatchewan
 * Lead: Laurie Carney, Team Canada


 * 1985
 * Skip: Susan Seitz, Alberta
 * Third: Lindsay Sparkes, British Columbia
 * Second: Debbie Jones, British Columbia
 * Lead: Debbie Herbert, Newfoundland


 * 1984
 * Skip: Connie Laliberte, Manitoba
 * Third: Gillian Thompson, Saskatchewan
 * Second: Chris Gervais, Saskatchewan
 * Lead: Laurie Carney, British Columbia


 * 1983
 * Skip: Shelly Bildfell, Yukon/Northwest Territories
 * Third: Sharon Horne, Nova Scotia
 * Second: Cathy Caudle, Nova Scotia
 * Lead: Penny Ryan, Alberta


 * 1982
 * Skip: Arleen Day, Saskatchewan
 * Third: Lynne Andrews, Manitoba
 * Second: Donna Cunliffe, British Columbia
 * Lead: Barbara Jones-Gordon, Nova Scotia

Number of games played
As of the 2024 Scotties; excluding pre-qualifying and wild card games

Perfect games
A perfect game in curling is one in which a player scores 100% on all their shots in a game. Statistics on shots have been kept since 1982.

External links and sources

 * Results Archive
 * Curlingzone.com
 * Curlingzone.com