The annual Labatt/Journal-Pioneer Cashspiel, part of the Atlantic Curling Tour, gets underway Friday November 25 at the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club in Summerside, with 18 teams from around the Maritimes taking part. $2500 is the prize for the top team, with $1600 for the runner-up, $1200 for 3rd and 4th place, and $800 for 5th and 6th.

Defending champion Eddie MacKenzie, who went undefeated to win last year’s event, is now playing 3rd with the Brett Gallant rink, who are not in the event this year. Summerside’s own Mike Gaudet, third on last year’s MacKenzie rink, is skipping a team in the event, backed up by Tyler MacKenzie, Tyler Harris, and Sean Clarey. The Gaudet foursome were runners-up at the recent Rodd Curling Classic cashspiel in Charlottetown. Other Island rinks are skipped by Robert Campbell, Rod MacDonald, Donna Butler (the only women’s rink in the event),  Robert Shaw, and Jamie Newson.

The teams hit the ice for their opening draws at 1 (pool A), 2 (pool B) and 3:30 pm (pool C) on Friday afternoon. The club has six sheets, and the three round-robin pools alternate starts between sheets 1-3 and 4-6. All games are eight ends. Subsequent round robin draws are Friday at 4:30, 6, and 7:30 pm, Saturday at 9, 10, and 11:30 am, then at 1, 2 and 3:30 pm, and at 5, 6 and 7:30 pm. The quarter-finals go Sunday morning at 9, with the semis at noon, and the final at 3 pm.

Here is the opening draw:

1 pm Friday Nov. 25 (Pool A)

Mike Gaudet vs Greg Power, Rob Moore vs Robert Campbell, Derek Ellard vs Trevor Archibald

2 pm Friday Nov. 25  (Pool B)

Rod MacDonald vs Jamie Christianson, Ken Myers vs Scott Archibald, Donna Butler vs Chris Sutherland

3:30 pm Friday Nov. 25 (Pool C)

Danny Christianson vs Robert Shaw, Martin Gavin vs Zac Blanchard, Rob Harris vs Jamie Newson.

Check website or poster (below) for full round-robin draw.

Website: www.silverfox-pei.com/curling/bonspiel.php?id=23

Event poster: http://www.silverfox-pei.com/curling/posters_files/CashspielPoster2011.pdf