The Suzanne Birt rink grabbed the eighth and final qualifying spot in the quarter-final round of the $100,000 Sun Life Financial Invitational Curling Classic, which wraps up on Monday in Brantford Ontario. The team, which includes third Shelly Bradley, second Leslie MacDougall, and lead Stefanie Richard, are playing US Olympian Debbie McCormick in a game which got underway at 8 pm Atlantic. Former world women’s champion McCormick went undefeated to qualify first in the triple-knockout event. Birt had to win two other games on Sunday to advance to the evening quarter-final, beating Kristy Russell of Orangeville 7-4 in the morning, and Brette Richards of Winnipeg 6-0 in the afternoon.

In other quarter-finals, Joanne Rizzo of Ontario is playing Heather Strong of Newfoundland/Labrador, Shannon Kleibrink of Alberta is taking on Robyn Silvernagle of Saskatchewan, and Amber Holland of Saskatchewan is facing Crystal Webster of Alberta.

In the men’s section, Jeff Stoughton of Winnipeg is playing Mike McEwen, also from the ‘Peg, Jean-Michel Ménard of Quebec is facing Brad Gushue of Newfoundland/Labrador, Toronto’s Wayne Middaugh is taking on Brantford’s Terry Corbin, and Peter Corner of Brampton is playing Quebec’s Martin Ferland.

Semi-finals go at 10 am Atlantic on Monday, with the men’s at women’s finals following at 1:30 pm At.