Team Saskatchewan, who was skipped by Sandra Schmirler won the tournament after beating Alison Goring'sOntario rink in the final 8–5. This was Saskatchewan's tenth title overall (eleven including Team Canada) and the third and final one skipped by Schmirler before her death in 2000. At the time, Schmirler joined Connie Laliberte and Vera Pezer as the only skips to win three championships.
The all-star team and sportsmanship award winners were as follows.[6]
All-Star Teams
This was the first tournament in which a first and second all-star teams were selected. Team Saskatchewan members Sandra Schmirler (skip), Jan Betker (third), and Joan McCusker (second) became the first curlers to be selected to the all-star team on three separate occasions. Schmirler was previously selected in 1987 and 1993, Betker in 1987 and 1994, and McCusker in 1994 and 1995.
The Scotties Tournament of Hearts Sportsmanship Award is presented to the curler who best embodies the spirit of curling at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. The winner was selected in a vote by all players at the tournament.
Prior to 1998, the award was named after a notable individual in the curling community where the tournament was held that year. For this edition, the award was named after Diana Doe, who was a player and coached junior teams in Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia. She also was an executive of the British Columbia Curling Association, serving as president in 1989 and was a director of Curling Canada for many years.[7]
Team Ontario skip Alison Goring became the first curler to ever receive the sportsmanship award on three different occasions as she previously won in 1991 and 1995.
The Ford Hot Shots was a skills competition preceding the round robin of the tournament. Each competitor had to perform a series of shots with each shot scoring between 0 and 5 points depending on where the stone came to rest. The winner of this edition of the event would win a two-year lease on a Ford Contour.
Beginning with the 1997 tournament, the Shot of the Week Award was voted on by TSN commentators and presented to the curler who had been determined with the most outstanding shot during the championship.
