Curling roundup: PEI’s Birt bows out in semis to eventual winner Einarson at Stu Sells, Gallant/Peterman win mixed doubles event

Although PEI curling facilities have no ice as of yet, Island curlers are already doing well competing in other provinces. Brett Gallant and his partner Jocelyn Peterman (Winnipeg) won the Battleford Mixed Doubles Fall Curling Classic a week ago in North Battleford SK, defeating the duo of Laura Walker and Kirk Muyres (Edmonton) by a 7-5 score to grab the $2000 first place cheque.

Photo: Brett Gallant, Jocelyn Peterman

This weekend, teams were at the Stu Sells Oakville Tankard in Ontario, with PEI’s Suzanne Birt, who took last year off from curling, advancing to the semi-finals, losing 8-1 to Kerri Einarson of Winnipeg. Team Birt includes 3rd Marie Christianson, second Meaghan Hughes, and lead Michelle McQuaid. Einarson faced three-time event winner and defending champion Silvana Tirinzoni of Switzerland, coached by Peter Gallant of PEI, in the final, with the Canadians winning 6-0 in only five ends. The Swiss prevailed on the men’s side, with Yannick Schwaller of Bern beating Strathroy Ontario’s Wayne Tuck Jr. 8-3 in the final.  Schwaller, with hammer in the 6th end, filled the house with their stones, forcing Wayne Tuck Jr to draw against three opposing rocks with his last shot. He came up light, conceding Team Schwaller the win.

(L-R): Michelle McQuaid, Suzanne Birt, Meaghan Hughes

On the Junior scene, the Mitchell Schut and Chase MacMillan PEI Canada Games finalist rinks saw action at Curl Moncton, along with the newly-formed Team Kelly girl’s rink as play got underway in the  Maritime Junior Competitive league and runs Saturdays and Sundays through the end of the month. Teams choose which days they are able to compete, and receive a payout per win.

Finally, a number of PEI rinks were competing in the Canada 55-Plus Games in Saint John in August, with the rink of Gloria Clarke, Ruth Stavert, Elaine Hughes, and Janette Fraser from the Cornwall Curling Club winning the 65-plus division while the 55-plus men’s rink of Philip McInnis, Pius McInnis, David Murphy, and Alan Long from Charlottetown were defeated in the medal qualifying game.

In competitive curling team news from the Curling Zone team rosters. PEI’s Adam Casey is curling in Toronto this season, playing third stone on the Charley Thomas rink. Sarah Fullerton has formed a Charlottetown/Summerside team including third Amanda Colter, second Anita Casey, and lead Aleya Quilty. Cornwall’s Lauren Lenentine is, as announced previously, curling in Halifax on the World Junior champion Kaitlyn Jones team.

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