Play wrapped up this afternooon for the winners and runners-up of this year’s O’Connor Glass PEI Under 18 Curling championships, with the winners competing in the Optimist International in Surrey and Langley BC, and the runners-up playing in the Atlantic Under 18 Championships in Stephenville NL.
The Optimist men’s section was won by Manitoba’s Kyle Doering rink, who edged Ontario’s Doug Kee team 5-4 in the final. PEI’s Tony Nabuurs rink finishes lost 6-4 to Washington in the game to determine 7th and 8th seed for next year’s event (PEI only represents every 4th year, so it will be another Atlantic province in the rotation next year.)
The women’s was won by BC’s Sarah Daniels rink, who edged Alberta’s Danielle Schmiemann foursome 3-2 in an extra end (after a measure) in the gold medal game. PEI, skipped by Jenny McLean, lost 9-3 to Wisconsin in the game to determine 11th and 12th seed for next year’s event.
The PEI teams report that they played much better than the final standings indicate, had a great experience curling against Teams from USA, Japan and Canada, and met many new friends during the week. (photos courtesy of Margaret O’Connor).
In the Atlantics, the Nova Scotia team skipped by Matthew Manuel won the men’s championship over New Brunwsick skip and former Islander Kyle Hughes by a 9-1score.
PEI’s Tyler Smith rink won the bronze medal game with a 7-4 win over Newfoundland and Labrador’s Evan Keerly rink.
In the women’s division, PEI’s Emily Keen rink fiinished fourth after losing the bronze medal game 10-1 to the host team, skipped by Lauren Newell.
The championship was won by the Mary Fay team, who blanked New Brunswick’s Justine Comeau rink 6-0 in the final.