Ford Hot Shots
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (February 2012) |
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)
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Since 2017, the event included five new disciplines:[2]
- The "Hackner double", replicating Al Hackner's famous double takeout at the 1985 Labatt Brier.
- The "Schmirler shot", replicating Sandra Schmirler's in-off at the 1997 Canadian Olympic Curling Trials to send her team to the 1998 Winter Olympics.
- A "straight raise to the button"
- A "drag-effect double takeout"
- An "around the horn triple takeout for two".
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]
- 1995: Ford Contour GL
- 1996: Mercury Mystique
- 1997: Ford Contour
- 1998: Mercury Mystique LS
- 1999: Mercury Mystique LS
- 2000: Ford Taurus SE
- 2001: Ford Taurus SE
- 2002: Ford Focus SE Wagon
- 2003: Ford Focus ZX5
- 2004: Ford Escape XLT FWD
- 2005: Ford Freestyle SEL
- 2006: Ford Explorer XLT
- 2007: Ford Edge
- 2008: Ford Fusion SEL V6
- 2009: Ford Flex SEL FWD
- 2010: Ford Taurus SEL FWD
- 2011: Ford Edge FW
- 2012: Ford Focus Titanium
- 2013: Ford Fusion SE 2.0L
- 2014: Ford Fusion SE 2.0L AWD
- 2015: Ford F-150 XLT
- 2016: Ford Edge Sport EcoBoost
- 2017: Ford Escape SE
- 2018: Ford Escape SE
Winners
[edit]Year | Women | Men |
---|---|---|
1995 | ![]() |
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1996 | ![]() |
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1997 | ![]() |
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1998 | ![]() |
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1999 | ![]() |
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2000 | ![]() |
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2001 | ![]() |
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2002 | ![]() |
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2003 | ![]() |
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2004 | ![]() |
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2005 | ![]() |
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2006 | ![]() |
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2007 | ![]() |
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2008 | ![]() |
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2009 | ![]() |
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2010 | ![]() |
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2011 | ![]() |
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2012 | ![]() |
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2013 | ![]() |
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2014 | ![]() |
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2015 | ![]() |
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2016 | ![]() |
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2017 | ![]() |
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2018 | ![]() |
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References
[edit]- ^ a b "Marc Kennedy wins Ford Hot Shots competition". Canadian Curling Association. March 2, 2013. Retrieved March 2, 2013.
- ^ a b "New skills unveiled for 23rd annual Ford Hot Shots competition". Curling Canada. February 16, 2017. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
- ^ a b Granger, Grant (January 27, 2018). "Perfect fit at Ford Hot Shots for winning Penticton fan". Curling Canada. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
- ^ "New-look Ford Hot Shots format puts fans in driver's seat". Curling Canada. January 3, 2018. Retrieved January 8, 2022.
- ^ a b Granger, Grant (March 2, 2018). "Northern Ontario makes fan's day with Ford Hot Shots triumph". Curling Canada. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
- ^ "Brad Gushue wins Ford Hot Shots competition". Curling Canada. March 5, 2016. Retrieved January 8, 2022.
- ^ http://cloudfront6.curling.ca/w2/files/2014/05/2013-2014_Ford_Season_of_Champions_Fact_Book.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ 2017 Scotties Media Guide: Overall Records
- ExtraEnd Magazine, 2009-10 edition, pg 20-21