The semi-finals go at 10 this morning in the Hub City Shootout at Moncton’s Beaver Curling Club. It will be PEI’s Mike Gaudet rink playing Jamie Brannen of Fredericton NB in one of the games, and Moncton’s Russ Howard playing PEI’s Bill Hope team in the other. The winners will square off in the 1:30 pm finals.
In Saturday night’s quarter-final round, Gaudet knocked off former Canadian men’s and mixed champ Mark Dacey of Halifax, while Brannen beat Mark Kehoe of Windsor. Howard eliminated Rick Perron of the host club, while Hope beat Stephen Burgess of Fredericton. PEI’s Robbie Doherty plays on the Burgess rink.
The championship team in this 16 team event will take home $3400, with $2000 going to the runner-up and $1350 going to the remaining semi-finalists. Kehoe, Perron, Burgess, and Dacey each go home with $950 for making it to the quarter-final round.
Defending champion John Likely of Charlottetown eliminated clubmate Kevin Champion Saturday at noon in this triple-knockout competition, but lost to Howard in the 4 pm draw.