Aaron Sluchinski

Aaron Sluchinski
Curler
Born (1987-03-24) March 24, 1987 (age 37)
Drayton Valley, Alberta
Team
Curling clubAirdrie CC,
Airdrie, AB[1]
SkipKevin Koe
ThirdAaron Sluchinski
SecondTyler Tardi
LeadKarrick Martin
Mixed doubles
partner		Amanda Sluchinksi
Curling career
Member Association Alberta
Brier appearances2 (2022, 2024)
Top CTRS ranking7th (2022–23; 2023–24)
Medal record
Men's Curling
Representing  Canada
Tim Hortons Brier
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Lethbridge
Representing  Alberta
Canadian Mixed Doubles Championship
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Sudbury

Aaron Sluchinski (born March 24, 1987) is a Canadian curler from Airdrie, Alberta.[1] He currently plays third on Team Kevin Koe.

Career

Sluchinski made his first national appearance at the 2008 Canadian Junior Curling Championships skipping his Alberta rink of Justin Sluchinski, Colin Hodgson and Tylor Bennet. The team finished with a 7–5 record, missing the playoffs and settling for fifth place. He would play in his first Boston Pizza Cup, Alberta's men's provincial championship, in 2012 as second for Kevin Park. The team finished with a 3–3 record in the triple knockout format, failing to advance to the playoff round.[2]

Sluchinski and his team had a great run at the 2013 Boston Pizza Cup, qualifying for the playoffs through the B Event.[3] They then lost both of their playoffs games to Kevin Martin and Kevin Koe, settling for third place.[4] The following season, he won his first World Curling Tour event at the Black Diamond / High River Cash. At provincials, they lost to Team Koe in the C Event Final.

Team Sluchinski won two more tour events during the 2014–15 season at The Good Times Bonspiel and the McKee Homes Fall Curling Classic. At the 2015 Boston Pizza Cup, they qualified for the playoffs through the C Side before losing to the Mick Lizmore rink in the 3 vs. 4 page playoff game.[5] He joined Darren Moulding's rink the following season and defended his title at the McKee Homes Fall Curling Classic. The team failed to qualify for the provincial championship after losing the Southern Alberta qualifier. He would win two more tour events at the 2017 Avonair Cash Spiel and the 2017 Black Diamond / High River Cash during the 2017–18 season.[6]

In 2020, Sluchinski and his mixed doubles partner Brittany Tran won the 2020 Alberta Mixed Doubles Curling Championship,[7] however did not get to compete in the 2020 Canadian Mixed Doubles Curling Championship as it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. As the 2021 Alberta provincial playdowns were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta, Sluchinski and Tran were selected to represent Alberta at the 2021 Canadian Mixed Doubles Curling Championship in Calgary. At the championship, the pair finished the round robin with a 4–2 record, qualifying for the championship round as the eleventh seed. They then faced eventual champions Kerri Einarson and Brad Gushue in the round of 12 where they lost 9–8, eliminating them from contention.[8] In 2023, Sluchinski and Tran qualified for the 2023 Canadian Mixed Doubles Curling Championship through ranking points. The team had a strong showing again at the event, going 5–2 in the round robin to qualify for the playoffs again as the eleventh seeds.[9] There, they knocked off Laurie St-Georges and Félix Asselin in a qualification game and then beat Laura Walker and Kirk Muyres in the quarterfinals.[10] They could not continue their run in the semifinals, however, losing in an extra end to Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant.

Team Sluchinski began the 2023–24 curling season at the 2023 PointsBet Invitational tournament, organized by Curling Canada. There, the team was eliminated in the "Sweep 16"[11] round against Mike McEwen. The team played in three Grand Slam of Curling events during the season, the 2023 Tour Challenge, the 2023 National and the 2023 Masters, failing to make the playoffs in all three.[12] Later in the season, the team won the 2024 Boston Pizza Cup when they defeated Kevin Koe in the final in an upset.[13] The team represented one of the Alberta teams at the 2024 Montana's Brier. There, they finished pool play with a 4–4 record.

After Tran stopped curling mixed doubles to fix on her women's team, Sluchinski teamed up with his wife Amanda, and won the 2024 Alberta Mixed Doubles Championship, earning the pair a trip to the 2024 Canadian Mixed Doubles Curling Championship.[14] At the national mixed doubles, the pair finished pool play with a 4–3 record. In the playoffs, they won their first match against Andrea Kelly and Tyler Tardi.[15] They lost in the quarterfinals to Laura Walker and Kirk Muyres.

Personal life

Sluchinski works as an accounting manager for The Strike Group.[1] He and wife Amanda have two children.[14]

Grand Slam record

Key
C Champion
F Lost in Final
SF Lost in Semifinal
QF Lost in Quarterfinals
R16 Lost in the round of 16
Q Did not advance to playoffs
T2 Played in Tier 2 event
DNP Did not participate in event
N/A Not a Grand Slam event that season
Event 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25
Tour Challenge T2 Q T2
Canadian Open DNP DNP Q
The National DNP Q DNP
Masters DNP Q DNP

Teams

Season Skip Third Second Lead
2006–07[16] Aaron Sluchinski Colin Jenkyns Matt Willerton Steve Lindberg
2007–08 Aaron Sluchinski Justin Sluchinski Colin Hodgson Tylor Bennet
2008–09 Shane Pacholuk Aaron Sluchinski Neil Bratrud Kyle Richard
2009–10 Justin Sluchinski (Fourth) Aaron Sluchinski (Skip) Brad Chyz Joe Vrolson
2010–11 Aaron Sluchinski Justin Sluchinski Joe Vrolson David Sluchinski
2011–12 Kevin Park Shane Park Aaron Sluchinski Eric Richard
2012–13 Justin Sluchinski Aaron Sluchinski Dylan Webster Craig Bourgonje
2013–14 Robert Schlender Aaron Sluchinski Justin Sluchinski Dylan Webster
2014–15 Aaron Sluchinski Justin Sluchinski Dylan Webster Eric Richard
2015–16 Darren Moulding Aaron Sluchinski Justin Sluchinski Eric Richard
2016–17 Aaron Sluchinski Justin Sluchinski Eric Richard Kyle Richard
2017–18 Aaron Sluchinski Dean Mamer Kerr Drummond Dylan Webster
2018–19 Aaron Sluchinski Dean Mamer Eric Richard Dylan Webster
2019–20 Aaron Sluchinski Kerr Drummond Dylan Webster Don Bartlett
2020–21 Aaron Sluchinski Kerr Drummond Dylan Webster Cole Adams
2021–22 Aaron Sluchinski Kerr Drummond Dylan Webster –
2022–23 Aaron Sluchinski Jeremy Harty Kerr Drummond Dylan Webster
2023–24 Aaron Sluchinski Jeremy Harty Kerr Drummond Dylan Webster
2024 (Sept.–Oct.) Aaron Sluchinski Jeremy Harty Kyle Doering Dylan Webster
2024–25 Kevin Koe Aaron Sluchinski Tyler Tardi Karrick Martin

References

  1. ^ a b c "2021 Home Hardware Canadian Mixed Doubles Curling Championship Media Guide" (PDF). Curling Canada. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  2. ^ "2012 Boston Pizza Cup". CurlingZone. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  3. ^ Chris Simnett (February 8, 2013). "Sluchinski set to skip at provincials". Airdrie Echo. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  4. ^ Chris Simnett (February 14, 2013). "Giant Killer". Airdrie Echo. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  5. ^ Norm Cowley (February 8, 2015). "Bottcher, Lizmore make Boston Pizza Cup playoffs". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  6. ^ "WCT/CCT Recap: World champions Gushue, Homan victorious". TSN. October 1, 2017. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  7. ^ Dale Woohard (February 25, 2020). "Tran/Sluchinski rink wins mixed title". Lethbridge Herald. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  8. ^ Jackie Spiegel (March 26, 2021). "Canadian Mixed Doubles Curling Championship 2021: Results, standings, schedule and TV channel". Sporting News. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  9. ^ "Pressure Packed Playoff Picture!". Curling Canada. March 24, 2023. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  10. ^ "Final four!". Curling Canada. March 25, 2023. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  11. ^ "2024 Montana's Brier Media Guide" (PDF). Curling Canada. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  12. ^ "Team Sluchinski". Grand Slam of Curling. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  13. ^ "New Alberta curling team slides into deep men's national championship field". CBC. February 29, 2024. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  14. ^ a b "Sluchinskis 'able to make it work' as spouses chasing Canada's mixed doubles title". Calgary Herald. March 15, 2024. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  15. ^ "Alberta's Sluchinskis win play-in draw at mixed doubles curling nationals". Calgary Herald. March 20, 2024. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  16. ^ "Aaron Sluchinski Past Teams". CurlingZone. Retrieved March 18, 2021.