Wikipedia

Ford Hot Shots

The Ford Hot Shots was the annual skills competition preceding both the Scotties Tournament of Hearts and the Tim Hortons Brier, Canada's women's and men's national curling championships respectively.[1] The competition has not been held since 2018.

History edit

When Ford became a sponsor of the World Curling Championships in 1995, it also began a tradition of a skills competition preceding Canada's national championships.[2]

The change in competition format for the 2018 Tournament of Hearts and 2018 Brier led to a change in format for the Hot Shots. Fifteen teams would compete instead of individual curlers, with the winning team being awarded a cheque for $15,000 and one of four Hot Shots spectators winning the two-year lease on the Ford vehicle.[3][4] The three finalist spectators would each receive $500 to donate to the charities of their choice.[5]

Disciplines edit

There were six disciplines that each competitor (for 2018, each team) had to do:[6]

  • The "hit and stay" (they must hit a rock on the button and not roll out)
  • The "draw to the button" (they must throw the rock as close as possible to the centre of the rings)
  • The "draw through the port" (the must throw the rock as close as possible to the centre of the rings, but go between two guard rocks in the process.
  • The "raise" (they must bump a guard rock into the rings as close as possible to the centre)
  • The "hit and roll" (they must hit a rock at the edge of the rings and roll as close as possible to the centre of the rings)
  • The "double" (they must remove two rocks with one stone, and end up as close as possible to the centre of the rings)
 
The "Hackner Double"
 
The "Schmirler in-off"

Since 2017, the event included five new disciplines:[2]

Scoring edit

For each shot, where the shooter rock came to rest determined how many points were earned. A rock that ended up on the button received 5 points. A rock that ended up in the 4 foot ring got 4 points. 8 foot ring, 3; 12 foot for 2; and one point if a "shot has been to have provided some sort of positive result."[7]

Prizes edit

Until 2018, the winner of the Hot Shots received a 2-year lease on a Ford vehicle. First and Second runners-up received cash ($2000 and $1000 respectively). In 2009, the women's winner received a lease on a 2009 Ford Flex SEL FWD and the men's winner received a lease on a 2009 Ford F-150 XLT 4x4. In 2013 the lease vehicle was a Ford Fusion SE.[1]

Winning women's vehicles:[8]

Winners edit

Year Women Men
1995   Kay Montgomery   Ed Werenich
1996   Gerri Cooke   Rick Perron
1997   Sherry Fraser   Mike Coulter
1998   Allison Franey   Greg McAulay
1999   Marcy Balderston   Steve Gould
2000   Kelley Law   Don Bartlett
2001   Kelley Law   Jeff Lacey
2002   Kristy Lewis   Pat Ryan
2003   Suzanne Gaudet   Marc LeCocq
2004   Andrea Lawes   Randy Ferbey
2005   Jenn Hanna   Mark Nichols
2006   Colleen Jones   Steve Gould
2007   Kelli Turpin   John Morris
2008   Jill Officer   Steve Laycock
2009   Cheryl Bernard   Craig Savill
2010   Amber Holland   Glenn Howard
2011   Jennifer Jones   Richard Hart
2012   Kerry Galusha   Wayne Middaugh
2013   Rachel Homan   Marc Kennedy
2014   Heather Strong   Kirk Muyres
2015   Heather Strong   Colin Hodgson
2016   Jennifer Jones   Brad Gushue
2017   Rachel Homan   Brad Jacobs
2018   Manitoba (Team Jennifer Jones)[3]   Northern Ontario (Team Brad Jacobs)[5]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Marc Kennedy wins Ford Hot Shots competition". Canadian Curling Association. March 2, 2013. Retrieved March 2, 2013.
  2. ^ a b "New skills unveiled for 23rd annual Ford Hot Shots competition". Curling Canada. February 16, 2017. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  3. ^ a b Granger, Grant (January 27, 2018). "Perfect fit at Ford Hot Shots for winning Penticton fan". Curling Canada. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
  4. ^ "New-look Ford Hot Shots format puts fans in driver's seat". Curling Canada. January 3, 2018. Retrieved January 8, 2022.
  5. ^ a b Granger, Grant (March 2, 2018). "Northern Ontario makes fan's day with Ford Hot Shots triumph". Curling Canada. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  6. ^ "Brad Gushue wins Ford Hot Shots competition". Curling Canada. March 5, 2016. Retrieved January 8, 2022.
  7. ^ http://cloudfront6.curling.ca/w2/files/2014/05/2013-2014_Ford_Season_of_Champions_Fact_Book.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  8. ^ 2017 Scotties Media Guide: Overall Records
  • ExtraEnd Magazine, 2009-10 edition, pg 20-21
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