PEI’s Kathy O’Rourke rink lost their quarter-final match on Sunday evening against another Atlantic Canada team, skipped by Shelley Nichols of St. John’s, by a 6-4 score, but will be going home with $2500 for making it to the championship round of the Southwestern Ontario Women’s Charity Spiel in London Ontario.  Now in its fourteen year, the cashspiel has raised over $200,000 for local breast cancer research and care.

Earlier in the event the O’Rourke team, which includes Erin Carmody throwing fourth stones, Geri-Lynn Ramsay throwing third, O’Rourke calling the game and throwing second, and lead Tricia Affleck,  recorded wins over three-time event champion and last year’s runner-up Sherry Middaugh, and last year’s winners, the Cathy Auld rink from Missisauga.

Advancing to the semi-finals at 9 Eastern this morning were undefeated Alison Goring of Toronto and Rachel Homan of Ottawa, along with Nichols, and Marie France Larouche of Lévis Quebec. Goring beat Kirsten Wall of Toronto 8-6, Homan downed Kerry Einerson of Winnipeg 6-1, and Larouche got by Lisa Farnell of Perterborough 6-4 in the quarter-finals. The semi matchups see Goring take on Nichols, with Larouche facing 2007 and 2008 event winner Homan. The finals are set for 1 pm Eastern.

The winning team will receive $8000 and a spot in the Canada Cup, Dec. 1-5 in Medicine Hat Alberta, while the runner-up rink goes home with $6000.  The losers of this morning’s semis will receive $4000.

24 teams took part in this year’s  event.

Website: http://sowcc.isp.ca

Photo (L-R): Tricia Affleck, Erin Carmody, Geri-Lynn Ramsay, Kathy O’Rourke