PEI’s Suzanne Birt rink, which includes third Shelly Bradley, second stone Leslie MacDougall, and lead Stefanie Clark, won their opener at the Sun Life Financial Invitational Curling Classic in Brantford Ontario, beating Quebec’s Eve Belisle foursome by a 6-5 score in an extra end. The PEI rink lost their second game 6-4 to Saskatchewan’s Amber Holland team, after Holland recorded a deuce in the seventh end and stole a single in the final frame to seal the win. Birt now plays Ontario’s Kathy Brown at 10 pm Atlantic.
This event, the premier cash spiel in Ontario, features the top teams in the world, competing for $100,000 in cash prizes. Glenn Howard, Jeff Stoughton, Shannon Kleibrink and Jennifer Jones headline the men’s and women’s fields competing at the Brantford Golf & Country Club, Brant Curling Club and Paris Curling Club.
Other contenders on the women’s side include 2009 Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings Olympic Trials contenders Cheryl Bernard, Amber Holland, Stefanie Lawton, and Crystal Webster. Andrea Kelly from New Brunswick, and Heather Strong from Newfoundland and Labrador are also entered.
Play wraps up on Monday.