There’s now only one unbeaten team at the Curl PEI Canada Games Curling Trials, as draw three wrapped up tonight at the Charlottetown Curling Complex.

Photo: Alex MacFadyen

The Alex MacFadyen rink from the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club in Summerside sits atop the six team men’s round robin standings at 3-0. Leslie Noye and his team from the Western Community Curling Club in Alberton, and 2011 Canada Games representative Tyler Smith and his Montague Curling Club team are at 2-1, while Cameron Jenkins and Donald DeWolfe, both of Cornwall, are 1-3 and their clubmate Devin Schut is 0-4.

MacFadyen doubled Smith 10-5 in eight ends in their game this afternoon, and beat DeWolfe 6-4 this evening. Smith rebounded with a 12-7 win over Jenkins. Noye edged Jenkins 8-7 in an extra end this afternoon, and beat Schut 11-7 in the nightcap.

There’s a log jam at the top in the four team women’s double round robin event, with the Kaleigh MacKay rink from Montague and Crapaud, the Lauren Moerike foursome from the host club, and the Meghan Ching team from Cornwall all sporting 2-1 win-loss records, The fourth team in the event, skipped by Karlie Lewis out of the Western Community club is 0-3.

In action today, MacKay beat Ching 10-3, but lost 8-6 to Moerike, who scored a six-ender in her 14-1 win over Lewis. Ching won her evening game 10-4 over Lewis.

The Trials will qualify two men’s and two women’s teams as the Training Teams for the 2015 Canada Games. A best of three series between the Training Teams will be held in November to determine the teams that will go to the Canada Games, February 13-March 1 2015 in Prince George BC.

With its purpose-built venue – the 3,000 seat Ice Cube Curling Centre – situated at the heart of the Coastal Cluster, curling will be at the centre of the action at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, which open on Friday February 7th.

Ice Cube Curling Centre Photo: WCF/Alina Pavlyuchik

The curling competition gets underway on the morning of Monday 10th February, with ten of the world’s top men’s and ten of the world’s top women’s teams vying for medals.

The men’s teams are: Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States of America.

The women’s line-up is: Canada, China, Denmark, Great Britain, Japan, Korea, the Russian Federation, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States of America.

To make it to Sochi, these nations and teams have followed different qualification routes. The Russians are there as event hosts, with another seven teams qualifying through their performances at the last two World Curling Federation (WCF) world championships (in 2012 and 2013).

In the men’s field the direct qualifiers were Canada, China, Denmark, Great Britain, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. (The world qualification points gained by WCF Member Association Scotland are allocated to Great Britain for Olympic purposes). The seven direct women’s qualifiers were Canada, Denmark, Great Britain, Korea, Sweden, Switzerland and USA.

The fields were then completed by the top two teams from a special WCF Olympic Qualification event, staged – for the first time – in Fuessen, Germany, in December 2013.

In the men’s event, Germany topped the rankings and USA joined them in second place. China won the women’s event, with Japan finishing second to take the last available women’s position.

With every team made up of four players and an alternate, there are 100 curling athletes taking part in the Sochi Games.

Click to read full story at the World Curling Federation’s Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games website

Visit www.sochi2014.curlingevents.com The official World Curling Federation website for the Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games – see the site for the complete schedule of play, full team line ups, news, photos, results and more:
• The Official Sochi 2014 event website: www.sochi2014.com/en/curling
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/worldcurlingfederation
• Twitter Hashtags: #curling #sochi2014

The first draw of the PEI Canada Games Curling Trials was held tonight at the Charlottetown Curling Complex. The Trials will qualify two men’s and two women’s teams as the Training Teams for the 2015 Canada Games. A best of three series between the Training Teams will be held in November to determine the teams that will go to the Canada Games, February 13-March 1 2015 in Prince George BC. The six men’s rinks in the trials are playing a round robin format, while the four women’s teams are playing a double round robin. All ten teams play in each draw. All games are ten ends.

The opening women’s draw saw Meghan Ching of Cornwall beat Lauren Moerike of the host Charlottetown Curling Complex 9-5, and Kaleigh MacKay and her Montague/Crapaud combined team down Karlie Lewis and her rink from Alberton’s Western Community club 15-1 in five ends.

The men’s side saw the Alex MacFadyen rink from Summerside’s Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club beat the Leslie Noye foursome from Western 9-2, 2011 Canada Games representative Tyler Smith and his Montague Curling Club rink beat Cornwall’s Donald DeWolfe team 14-5, and Cameron Jenkins of Cornwall beat clubmate Devin Schut 9-1.

Play continues Friday and Saturday with draws at 2 and 7 pm, with the final women’s double round robin games going Sunday morning at 9. If tiebreakers are needed, they will go at 9 am (men’s), 2 pm (women’s), and 7 pm (men’s) on Sunday.

Full draw, team rosters and end-by-end results at peicurling.com/canadagames/

(by Al Cameron) MONTREAL — Reigning champion Rachel Homan and her Ottawa team will begin its title defence on Saturday in Montreal when the 2014 Scotties Tournament of Hearts opens play at Maurice Richard Arena.

Team Homan, from left, Rachel Homan, Emma Miskew, Alison Kreviazuk and Lisa Weagle, will attempt to defend their Scotties Tournament of Hearts title in Montreal. (Photo, CCA/Andrew Klaver)

Fresh off contributing to Team North America’s victory at the 2014 World Financial Group Continental Cup in Las Vegas, Homan, third Emma Miskew, second Alison Kreviazuk and lead Lisa Weagle will don Team Canada colours in Montreal in a bid to win back-to-back titles at the Canadian women’s curling championship.

But it will be a tall order as the field in Montreal, which takes to the ice for the first draw Saturday at 3 p.m (all times Atlantic), following the opening ceremonies at 11:30 a.m., will feature a blend of battle-tested experience and eager newcomers, and a hometown favourite wearing the colours of Quebec, who will most certainly have the crowd on her side.

So, too, will 20-year-old Sarah Koltun of Whitehorse; she will make history in Montreal as the youngest skip to ever compete in the Scotties, and also the only skip to ever compete in both the Scotties and M&M Meat Shops Canadian Junior Championships (she skipped the Yukon team last week in Liverpool, N.S.) in the same season.

Contrasting with rookies Koltun and B.C.’s Kesa Van Osch of Victoria (just 22) are veterans such as Heather Strong of Newfoundland/Labrador (in her 11th Scotties, playing out of St. John’s) and Kim Dolan of Prince Edward Island (her 10th; she’s based in Charlottetown).

Look for three-time Canada Cup champion Stefanie Lawton of Saskatoon to be a playoff contender in pursuit of Saskatchewan’s first Scotties title since Amber Holland prevailed in 2011, along with Manitoba’s Chelsea Carey (Winnipeg), a solid performer on the cashspiel circuit who will make her long-awaited Scotties debut in Montreal.

Another name to watch for is Alberta’s Val Sweeting (Edmonton), who will be in her second Scotties. Her team has enjoyed a terrific 2013-14 season, including a qualifying berth at the Capital One Road to the Roar Pre-Trials in Kitchener, Ont., and a solid run at the Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings in Winnipeg.

And the eyes of Quebec will be on Allison Ross, who plays out of the Glenmore Curling Club just outside of Montreal, and will be looking to improve on her 3-8 record at the 2013 Scotties.

The field will be rounded out by Alli Flaxey of Ontario (Listowel), Heather Smith of Nova Scotia (Halifax) and Andrea Crawford of New Brunswick (Oromocto).

Yukon/Northwest Territories skip Sarah Koltun. (Photo, CCA)

The teams will play an 11-game round-robin draw that will conclude on Friday, Feb. 7.

The top four teams will make the Page playoff round, which sees the first- and second-place teams playing for a berth in the final, which is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 9 at 8:30 p.m. The third- and fourth-place teams will also meet, with the winner moving onto the semifinal on Feb. 8 at 5 p.m.. The loser of the three-four game will play the semifinal loser in the bronze-medal game on Feb. 9 at 3:30 p.m.

In addition to the playoff race during the round-robin schedule, there will also be a battle at the other end of the standings. The two teams with the fewest overall wins in the 2012, 2013 and 2014 Scotties will be assigned to the pre-event qualifying tournament just prior to the 2015 Scotties in Moose Jaw, Sask. At that time, those teams will play off against Northern Ontario and Nunavut (who will be eligible to compete in the Scotties for the first time in 2015) for the 12th and final berth in the 2015 Scotties field. Team Canada, as defending champion, and Saskatchewan, as the host province in 2015, are exempt from the play-in tournament, while each of the Territories (Northwest, Yukon and Nunavut) can send teams for the first time.

The two-year win totals coming into the 2014 Scotties are as follows: Manitoba (20), B.C. (16), Ontario (14), Saskatchewan (11, exempt), New Brunswick (11), Quebec (10), Nova Scotia (9), Alberta (8), P.E.I. (8), Northwest Territories (6), Newfoundland/Labrador (6), and the Yukon (0).

TSN/RDS2, the official broadcaster of the CCA’s Season of Champions, will provide extensive coverage of the 2014 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, with 66 hours of live broadcasts scheduled.

The winner of the 2014 Scotties Tournament of Hearts will represent Canada at the Ford World Women’s Curling Championship, presented by Booster Juice, March 15 to 23 in Saint John, N.B.

The 2014 Scotties marks the 33rd year of Kruger Products Limited’s sponsorship of the Canadian women’s championship.

For ticket information, go to: www.curling.ca/2014scotties-en/tickets/

For schedule information, go to: www.curling.ca/2014scotties-en/draw-schedule/

Click to read at the CCA website

The four qualifiers for the men’s Page round, and the three qualifiers for the women’s championship round have now been determined at the PEI Masters Curling Championships which wrap up Thursday afternoon at the Silver Fox Curling & Yacht Club in Summerside.

2012 women’s champion Shirley Berry took singles in the first seven ends to blank 2013 champ Diane MacKay 7-0 in the final women’s double round robin round this afternoon, securing first place, with a 4-2 record, and a berth in the 2 pm Thursday final. Both teams are from the Cornwall Curling Club. MacKay, and Norma Sonier from the Fox both finished at 3-3, and will play in the semi-finals at 10  am Thursday, with the winner facing Berry in the final. Sonier beat the other team in the event, skipped by Cornwall’s Gloria Clarke, 7-4 this afternoon to advance. Both rinks had 3-3 records, while Clarke finished play at 2-4.

The last three qualifiers for the four team men’s Page round were determined today, with the  John Holmes rink from the host Silver Fox club grabbing the “B” qualifier this morning, with a 9-5 win over the Brian Ellis foursome from Crapaud. They join the A qualifier, skipped by Ted MacFadyen, also from the host club, in the Page A vs B game at 4 this afternoon, with the winner of that match going directly to the 2 pm Thursday final, and the loser playing the winner of the Page C vs D game, also at  4 pm, in the 10 am Thursday semi-final, with the winner of that game advancing to the final.

The C and D qualifiers were determined this afternoon, with Clair Sweet from the Maple Leaf Curling Club in O’Leary beating Paul Arsenault of Cornwall 8-5, to capture the C, and Ellis grabbing the final spot, doubling Louis Walsh from the host club by a 6-3 score.

Winners and runners-up in both the men’s and the women’s divisions earn the right to compete in the Maritime Masters Championships, March 14-17 at the Cornwall Curling Club.. The winning teams, or the highest-finishing men’s and women’s rinks that choose to attend, are invited to participate in the 2014 ATB Financial Canadian Masters Championships, March 31 to Apr. 6 at the Coaldale Granite Curling Club in Coaldale Alberta.

Live end-by-end results from the PEI Masters are available at PEICurling.com/masters

Because of a problem noted with the original draw, the draw and schedule for the PEI Tankard Provincial Men’s Curling Championship has been revised. The event now starts at 2 pm on Wednesday February 5, and the draw that was used in last year’s Tankard is being used again this year.

The updated draw and schedule is now on the event website at PEICurling.com/tankard

Following this morning’s draw at the PEI Masters Curling Championships at the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club in Summerside, two of the four qualifiers for the men’s Page round have been determined, and the four-way tie has been broken on the women’s side.

The rink of John Holmes, Des Arsenault, Stephen Bent and George Power from the host Silver Fox club grabbed the “B” qualifier this morning, with a 9-5 win over the Brian Ellis foursome from Crapaud. They join the A qualifier, skipped by Ted MacFadyen, also from the host club, in the Page A vs B game at 4 this afternoon, with the winner of that game going directly to the 2 pm Thursday final, and the loser playing the winner of the Page C vs D game, also at  4 pm, in the 10 am Thursday semi-final, with the winner of that game advancing to the final.

The C and D qualifiers are being determined in the draw which got underway at 12:30 this afternoon, with Paul Arsenault of Cornwall playing Clair Sweet of O’Leary’s Maple Leaf Curling Club in the C, and Louis Walsh from the host club taking on Ellis in the D.

In the 4 team women’s double round robin, 2012 champion Shirley Berry, and 2013 winner Diane MacKay, both from the Cornwall Curling Club, broke a 4-way tie by picking up wins this morning, with Berry beating clubmate Gloria Clarke 8-2, and MacKay defeating the host club’s Norma Sonier 8-5. Sonier scored all five of her points in the second end.

MacKay and Berry, both 3-2, with the other teams at 2-3, are playing each other in the final double round robin draw, which began at 12:30 pm, so the winner of this draw will nail down first place and advance to the 2 pm Thursday final. Second and third place after the round robin and any tiebreakers will advance to the semi-final, at 10 am Thursday, with the winner of that game going to the final.

End by end results are available at PEICurling.com/masters

Winners and runners-up in both the men’s and the women’s divisions earn the right to compete in the Maritime Masters Championships, March 14-17 at the Cornwall Curling Club.. The winning teams, or the highest-finishing men’s and women’s rinks that choose to attend, are invited to participate in the 2014 ATB Financial Canadian Masters Championships, March 31 to Apr. 6 at the Coaldale Granite Curling Club in Coaldale Alberta.