Two of the four teams that will advance to the CIS/CCA curling championships from March 14-18 in Welland, Ontario were chosen in this morning’s draw at the Atlantic University Curling Championships at the Cornwall Curling Club. UPEI’s Brett Gallant rink beat the Colten Steele foursome from Saint Mary’s University in Halifax 8-5 in the men’s A final, while the Erin Porter team from Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) edged the Lindsay Doucet rink from Acadia 7-6 in the women’s. A three point eighth end gave the advantage to Gallant in an otherwise tight game. Steele had to draw from the outside of the sheet into the four foot around a number of guards and facing three Gallant counters, but the shot was too heavy, giving the advantage to the Gallant team, which also includes Alex MacFadyen, Sam Ramsay, and Connor MacPhee.

Photo: Erin Porter rink

In other games, the defending CIS/CCA Canadian champions, the Colin Thomas rink from MUN missed their chance to return to the event, losing 5-1 to the Robert Mayhew team from Acadia, and UPEI’s Sarah Fullerton rink are also out of the Atlantics, after an 8-7 loss to the Saint Mary’s rink skipped by PEI native Anita Casey. Casey was down one coming home, and pulled off a tough hit for two with her last rock for the win.

The event wraps up with the B finals, which got underway at 2 pm, with Mayhew taking on Steele and Doucet facing Casey. The winners will grab the other two tickets to the CIS/CCA championships.