The first two draws were played Friday afternoon and evening at the PEI Credit Unions Provincial Senior Men’s and Women’s Curling Championships, for curlers age 50 and over, at the Charlottetown Curling Complex, with four men’s and four women’s teams competing. The first of three section finals in the modified triple knockout draw was determined in the evening draw in two very close games, with the Shelley Ebbett rink from the host club stealing a deuce in the final end to edge Cornwall’s Shirley Berry foursome 8-7 to win the women’s “A” final, and the Phil Gorveatt team, also from the host Charlottetown Curling Complex, scoring three points with hammer in an extra end to double Blair Jay from the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Community Complex in Summerside 6-3 in the men’s.

Action in the “A” finals (Larry Richards photo)

Berry won her opener 6-3 over Iva Griffin and her Prince County team from the Western Community and Maple Leaf curling clubs, while Ebbett scored five points in an extra end to defeat Cornwall’s Debbie Rhodenhizer 11-6. In the men’s openers, Gorveatt edged Charlottetown clubmate Robert Campbell 7-6, and Jay beat Charlottetown and Cornwall’s Bill Hope 7-3.

With the “modified” triple knockout format, section winners also drop down to compete in subsequent sections, and a win in two sections gives a team a big advantage going into the two game championship round against the section winners, as they would win the championship if they took either game, while their opponent would have to win both. If Gorveatt or Ebbett were to win all three sections, their respective championship round would not be needed.

Play in the 10 am Saturday draw will see Hope play Gorveatt, and Campbell take on Jay in men’s play, while Griffin will face Ebbett, and Cornwall’s Rhodenhizer and Berry will face off in women’s action, with the men’s and women’s winners advancing to the “B” finals at 2 pm. 

The “C” semi-finals go at 6 pm Saturday, with the “C” finals taking place at 10 am Sunday. The championship round games, if needed, go at 2 pm Sunday and, if required, 10 am Monday. 

This year’s winners will advance to the 2017 Everest Canadian Seniors Curling Championships, March 18-26 in Fredericton NB. The competition will be played at two facilities: the Capital Winter Club and Willie O’Ree Place, with the men’s and women’s finals both scheduled for the latter.