Five Island rinks are off to Saint John New Brunswick this week to compete in the annual Best Western – Thistle Saint Andrews Curling Classic, which gets underway Thursday evening. Twenty-three teams are signed up, due to a last-minute cancellation.

PEI representives include 2002 event winner John Likely and his team of Phil Gorveatt, Mark Butler, and Mike Dillon. One of the two women’s rinks in the event is PEI women’s champ Suzanne Birt (formerly Gaudet), and her new team which includes veteran skip Shelly Bradley at third, Leslie MacDougall at second, and the only remaining team member from last year, Stefanie Clark in the lead position. Kevin Champion, third on last year’s Tankard-winning team moves up to the skip position this year, with a highly experienced team including Andrew Robinson, Mark O’Rourke, Rod MacDonald, and fifth Peter MacDonald. PEI Mixed champion Bill Hope is skipping a team which includes Dennis Watts, Jeff Gallant, and Phil McInnis.  Mike Gaudet, Eddie MacKenzie, Tyler Harris, and Sean Clarey round out the PEI contingent.

Other contenders include 2004 and 2005 champion Jim Sullivan and  last year’s runner-up, Jamie Brannen, both from New Brunswick.

The 3 pm Sunday final will pay out $3000 to the winning team, and $2000 to the runner-up. Third and fourth place pocket a grand each, while 5th-8th place qualifiers take home $750 per team. There is also a payout per round robin win.