The 2016 Everest Canadian Senior Men’s and Women’s Curling Championships kicked off Monday at the Digby Area Recreation Centre in Digby, N.S., with 28 teams – 14 men’s, 14 women’s – competing for the right to represent Canada at the 2017 world championship in Lethbridge, Alberta.
On the first day of competition, Saskatchewan’s Sherry Anderson got off to a strong start in Women’s Pool A with wins over New Brunswick’s Heidi Hanlon and Yukon’s Leslie Grant to lead the pack. Alberta’s Cathy King and Quebec’s Catherine Derick are right behind, both with 1-0 records.
Ontario’s Jo-Ann Rizzo defeated British Columbia’s Diane Foster and Manitoba’s Sandra Cowling to take over Women’s Pool B, followed by Newfoundland and Labrador’s Cathy Cunningham and Nova Scotia’s Colleen Jones.
PEI’s Kim Dolan rink are 0-2, following a 5-4 loss to Cunningham and a 7-5 loss to Jones.
Nova Scotia’s Colleen Jones delivers her rock to sweepers Mary Sue Radford and Kim Kelly on the first day of action at the 2016 Everest Canadian Senior Curling Championships (Curling Canada/Mike Lewis photo)
On the men’s side, Alberta’s Ed Lukowich and Ontario’s Brian Cochrane started off with two wins each on the first day of the round robin. Defending champion Manitoba’s Randy Neufeld and Saskatchewan’s Brad Heidt are close behind with 1-0 records.
In Men’s Pool B, the 2014 champion from Nova Scotia, Alan O’Leary won both his games, while British Columbia’s Bob Ursel is right behind with a 1-0 record.
PEI’s Rod MacDonald picked up a win and a loss on opening day, beating New Brunswick’s Grant Odishaw 8-5, but losing 7-1 to Nova Scotia’s O’Leary.
Manitoba’s Randy Neufeld and Peter Nicholls watch as Northwest Territories’ Brian Kelln calls the line (Curling Canada/Mike Lewis photo)
Selected games will be broadcast online; check the event website, www.curling.ca/2016seniors/, for further details and broadcast times.
Live draw results for the 2016 Canadian Seniors will be available at www.curling.ca. For event information, visit www.curling.ca/2016seniors.
This is the second year of title sponsorship by Everest, the first nationwide funeral planning and concierge service.