The 2010 Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Sault Ste Marie marks the twenty-ninth consecutive year of Kruger Products sponsorship of the Canadian Women’s Curling Championship.

Kruger Products is the longest national corporate sponsor of amateur sport in Canada. It was in St. John’s at the 1981 Lassie that Scott Paper Limited officially made the commitment to the Canadian Curling Association to sponsor the Canadian Women's Curling Championship. A great deal of preparation culminates in "Scotties Tournament of Hearts" which has been held in:

• Regina, Saskatchewan - 1982
• Prince George, British Columbia - 1983
• Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island - 1984
• Winnipeg, Manitoba - 1985
• London, Ontario - 1986
• Lethbridge, Alberta - 1987
• Fredericton, New Brunswick - 1988
• Kelowna, British Columbia - 1989
• Ottawa, Ontario - 1990
• Saskatoon, Saskatchewan - 1991
• Halifax, Nova Scotia - 1992
• Brandon, Manitoba - 1993
• Kitchener/Waterloo, Ontario - 1994
• Calgary, Alberta - 1995
• Thunder Bay, Ontario - 1996
• Vancouver, British Columbia - 1997
• Regina, Saskatchewan - 1998
• Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island – 1999
• Prince George, British Columbia – 2000
• Sudbury, Ontario – 2001
• Brandon, Manitoba – 2002
• Kitchener/Waterloo, Ontario – 2003
• Red Deer, Alberta – 2004
• St. John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador – 2005
• London, Ontario – 2006
• Lethbridge, Alberta - 2007
• Regina, Saskatchewan - 2008
• Victoria, BC - 2009

Curling is one of the largest amateur sports in Canada with over one million active curlers. The total television reach for Scotties Tournament of Hearts final game is over three million Canadians. Over eleven million adult Canadians will watch curling on television this winter. This is better than one in three of all Canadians.

Kruger Products, a division of Kruger Inc., is the leading manufacturer of Consumer and Away From Home paper products in Canada. The company has four manufacturing facilities, which are located in New Westminster, British Columbia and Crabtree, Hull and Lennoxville, Quebec. The Scott corporate head office is located in Mississauga, Ontario.

Kruger Inc. is a privately held Canadian company with operations in newsprint, ground wood specialties, coated paper, paperboard and packaging. Kruger Products joined the group of Kruger companies in June 1997. Everyone at Kruger is committed to working together toward a common goal of maintaining Kruger Product’s position as the leading supplier of Consumer and Away-From-Home products in Canada.

Curling is a major winter pastime in Canada. It is often referred to as “Canada’s other winter sport”, a tongue in cheek reference to ice hockey. It dominates the leisure hours of residents of most rural communities and is an important recreational and competitive sport in larger metropolitan centers.

Canada long ago distinguished itself as the number one curling nation in the world. It is acknowledged throughout the world that nowhere is competition as keen and the path to the top so strewn with obstacles as in Canada. At the 1988 Winter Olympics held in Calgary, curling was a demonstration sport. The Canadian Women's team, skipped by Vancouver's Linda Moore, the 1985 World Champions, captured the gold medal. Julie Sutton's team from Victoria, the winner of The 1991 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, represented Canada at the 1992 Winter Olympics in France. They captured a bronze medal in the demonstration sport of curling. At the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, curling was finally accepted as a full medal sport and Regina’s Sandra Schmirler, the winner of the 1997 Scotties Tournament of Hearts and the reigning world champion captured gold! Kelley Law’s team from BC, 2000 Canadian and World Champions claimed bronze medals at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. Shannon Kleibrink’s team captured a bronze medal at the 2006 Olympics in Turin, Italy.
The first women's international championship was held in 1979. Canadian women have an enviable record in international competition. World champions from Canada include:

• Marj Mitchell - 1980
• Connie Laliberte - 1984
• Linda Moore - 1985
• Marilyn Bodogh nee Darte - 1986 and 1996
• Pat Sanders - 1987
• Heather Houston - 1989
• Sandra Peterson/Schmirler - 1993, 1994 and 1997
• Kelley Law - 2000
• Colleen Jones - 2001 and 2004
• Kelly Scott - 2007
• Jennifer Jones - 2008

Curlers are highly competitive and yet extremely sportsmanlike. Many of the sport's rules are etiquette rulings where appropriate behavior is suggested, but penalties for infractions are curiously absent. Curlers shake hands before and after each game and it is rare when smiles do not grace the faces of both winners and losers. They are a fiercely loyal group that are very proud of their sport.

It was this curious mix of camaraderie and competitiveness which first attracted the interest of Kruger Products. In assuming sponsorship of women's curling, Kruger hoped to build awareness for both the company and the sport and to effectively merchandise curling across Canada. The logo for Scotties Tournament of Hearts is a cluster of four hearts, which represents the four curlers who comprise a team and recognizes the importance curlers place on teamwork. The hearts also symbolize the "spirit" of curling - the friendship that characterizes the sport. The logo has been fully integrated into all aspects of the event.

The Provincial/Territorial champions each receive a gold chain and pendant in the shape of the four hearts while the runners-up receive keeper trophies. In addition, the winning teams are presented with a red heart crest to be worn on their team jackets.

All repeat Provincial/Territorial champions have a diamond added to their gold pendants. Since Kruger Products assumed sponsorship of the Canadian Women's Curling Championship, Nova Scotia's Colleen Jones has distinguished herself as the "winningest curler" with four diamonds now adorning the pendant which she won in 1982, a pair of diamond earrings to celebrate her sixth Scotties Tournament of Hearts win and a gold bracelet with six diamonds to commemorate her seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth and eleventh Scotties Tournament of Hearts provincial championship titles. Also prior to her Scotties Tournament of Hearts wins, Colleen won two Lassie Provincial titles.

At the national level, the trophy has been specially designed in silver with four heart-shaped columns of varying heights rising from a teak base. Each member of the winning team receives smaller replicas of the trophy in addition to gold rings, in the four-heart design, set with a .25-carat diamond. The runners-up receive gold rings with rubies and the third place team receives gold rings set with emeralds.

Other awards presented at Scotties Tournament of Hearts include First and Second Team All Star Awards which recognize the best leads, seconds, thirds and skips and, a Shot of the Week Award to the player who made the most outstanding shot during the championship.

Two special Awards have been created in the memory of two very special individuals who passed away in the year 2000. The Sandra Schmirler MVP Award is presented to the top curler in the playoffs of Scotties Tournament of Hearts. Sandra died of cancer at age 36 after an incredible three Canadian and World titles and an Olympic Gold Medal. The Joan Mead Builders Award recognizes the contributions of someone other than a curler to the sport of curling. Joan Mead was the producer of curling at CBC until her sudden death. Joan was instrumental in many of the changes to coverage of the sport that increased viewer interest, including placing mikes on the competitors so that the audience could listen to their conversations.

The Sportsmanship Award is presented to the curler who best embodies the spirit of curling. The Award is named The Marj Mitchell Award in perpetuity in remembrance of the World Champion curler and in recognition of her contribution to the sport of curling. Marj died of cancer at the age of 35. In past years, a different curler or builder from the region where Scotties Tournament of Hearts was being held was honoured and the award named after him or her. Individuals previously honoured include Diana Doe, Joyce McKee, Ina Hansen, Elizabeth MacDonald, Lura McLuckie, Jo Wallace, Myrna McQuarrie, Caroline Ball, the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan, Sylvia Fedoruk, Lee Tobin, Dr. Vera Pezer, Joyce Myers, Mabel Mitchell, Effie Hesselwood, Bob Stewart and Arline Wilson.

"Through Kruger Product’s long association with women's curling, we have discovered that at the heart of curling is a real warmth founded on sportsmanship and camaraderie; but, sharpened by the keen spirit of competition," says Mario Gosselin, Chief Operating Officer of Kruger Products. "We continue to be proud to be part of this truly great Canadian game."

The twenty-ninth Scotties Tournament of Hearts will be played in Sault Ste Marie from January 30 to February 7, 2010.