The A finals are set after Tuesday play at the double-knockout Marco Polo Land Provincial Masters Curling Championships at the Charlottetown Curling Club.
It was opening day for the four team women’s section, with two draws played. Defending champion Carol Sweetapple won her opener, 7-1 over clubmate Diane MacKay to advance the A final, Wednesday at noon, where she’ll face Valerie MacLean of Charlottetown, who beat six-time PEI Masters champ Jeanne Duffenais from the Silver Fox by a 7-1 score. Both Sweetapple and MacLean lost their second games, to MacKay and Duffenais respectively, so MacKay and Duffenais will face off in the B final on Thursday at 9 am. The A and B section winners will then square off in the final, Thursday at noon.
In day two play in the sixteen team men’s section, PEI Legion champion Mel Bernard of Summerside beat defending Masters champion Clair Sweet of O’Leary 5-3 to advance to the A final, Wednesday at 9 am, where he’ll play Charlottetown’s Bill Hope, who beat Louis Walsh of Summerside Tuesday afternoon to advance to the section final. Following Wednesday draws at 9, and noon, the B final will go Thursday at 9 am, with the championship game at noon on Thursday. In the event that the same team wins both A and B sections, the final would not be needed.
Winners and runners-up earn the right to compete in the Maritime Masters Championships, February 14-19, also at the Charlottetown Curling Club.
Winners may also participate in the Canadian Masters, March 30 to April 5 at the Assiniboine Memorial Curling Club in Winnipeg.