Two of the three PEI rinks entered in the second annual Curl Atlantic Championship, being played at the Tantramar Veterans Memorial Civic Centre in Sackville NB, advanced to this afternoon’s finals, with the Eddie MacKenzie rink coming first in the men’s, and defending champion Suzanne Birt finishing as runner-up in the women’s. MacKenzie and his teammates – third Anson Carmody, second Christian Tolusso, and lead Alex MacFadyen doubled the Jamie Murphy foursome from Halifax by a 6-3 score, breaking a tied game with a stolen deuce in the ninth, and single in the last end, while Birt lost 9-6 to Stacie Devereaux and her St. John’s rink.The PEI rink was ahead 3-1 after four ends, but triple by the Newfoundland and Labrador squad in the 4th and 6th ends gave them the lead. Other members of the women’s runner-up Birt rink are Shelly Bradley at third, second Sarah Fullerton, and lead stone Leslie MacDougall. Erin Potter, Lauren Wasykiw and Heather Martin round out the winning Devereaux squad.
2012 Men’s Champions Eddie MacKenzie, Anson Carmody, Christian Tolusso, Alex MacFadyen PE
2012 Women’s Champions Stacie Devereaux, Erin Porter, Lauren Wasylkiw, Heather Martin NL
File photo (L-R): Eddie MacKenzie, Anson Carmody, Alex MacFadyen. Not in photo: Christian Tolusso
In this morning’s semi-finals, MacKenzie beat New Brunswick’s Mark le Cocq rink 11-9, while Birt, trailing 6-3 after 7 ends of the 10 end contest against previously-undefeated Sylvie Robichaud of NB, won her game 7-6, after scoring a single in eight, and stealing another point in the 9th, followed by a deuce in the final end for the win. The MacKenzie and Devereaux rinks each go home with $3000 for the first place finish, while teams Birt and Murphy pocket $2000 as runners-up, and the remaining semi-finalist teams are $1000 richer.
The other PEI rink in the event, skipped by Kathy O’Rourke, returning to competitive play after a year off, finished play with a 1-4 record.
12 of the top men’s and an equal number of the top women’s teams from across Atlantic Canada took part in this second annual event, designed to give Atlantic curlers experience with playing on arena ice.