Ontario’s John Epping came out swinging against last year’s champion Kevin Martin in Draw One of the 2012 Capital One Canada Cup of Curling which began this morning with eight teams in action.
Tied 6-6 going into the tenth, Epping and his team of Scott Bailey, Scott Howard and David Mathers needed a piece of the button and nailed it for the win.
In the other men’s game, Glenn Howard chased Jeff Stoughton, exchanging points with hammer until the ninth. With Stoughton leading 7-5 heading into the final end, Howard had a chance to tie and came up short, giving up a steal of 2 for a 9-5 Stoughton victory.
In women’s play, Team Jones – with Kaitlyn Lawes taking the reins while skip Jennifer Jones is on maternity leave – came out strong against Crystal Webster, leading 7-2 heading into the fifth end break. Lawes played an aggressive game with lots of rocks in play, but Webster battled back. Trailing 7-4 after five ends, Webster stole 1 in seven and scored 2 in the ninth to climb back within reach. Lawes put the game away with a single in 10 and the 9-7 victory.
Draw 2 is underway with Webster, Epping, Lawton and Middaugh back on the ice, along with Chelsea Carey, Heather Nedohin, and Cathy Overton-Clapham on the women’s side, and Brad Gushue, Mike McEwen and Kevin Koe on the men’s.