The finals of the 2nd annual Curl Atlantic Championship, being played at the Tantramar Veterans Memorial Civic Centre in Sackville NB, got underway at 1:30 this afternoon, and there are two PEI rinks in it, skipped by defending women’s champ Suzanne Birt, and Eddie MacKenzie.
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
In the finals, Birt is playing Stacie Devereaux of St. John’s, while MacKenzie is battling Jamie Murphy of Halifax.
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, and featuring cash prizes of $3000 for the men’s and women’s winners, $2000 for the runners-up, and $1000 for the remaining semi-finalists.