The 2019 Canadian Curling Club Championships, featuring the country’s top men’s and women’s club curling teams, with all 14 of Curling Canada’s Member Associations (10 provinces, three territories and Northern Ontario) represented in both genders is underway at the Leduc Curling Club in Leduc Alberta, running concurrently with the 2019 Home Hardware Canada Cup, which begins today in the Sobeys Arena, also in the Leduc Recreation Centre.
After Wednesday play the PEI women, skipped by Melissa Morrow out of the Silver Fox, are 2-2 win-loss, while the men, captained by Dennis Watts of the Charlottetown Curling Club, are still looking for a win, at 0-4.
Left to right: Melissa Morrow (skip), Darcee Birch (3rd), Jamie Newson (Coach), Lindsey Spencer (2nd), Miranda Ellis (lead)
Morrow, along with Darcee Birch, Lindsey Spencer, and Miranda Ellis, got off to a strong start, with a 12-1 decision against the Northwest Territories, in a game that went to handshakes after PEI stole 4 in the sixth end. PEI lost their second match 7-4 to Alberta in a game that was close except for the 5th end, where the Westerners picked up 4, but picked up a win in the late draw, stealing 4 in the first end in a 9-4 decision over BC in a game that went only six ends. In Team PEI’s only Wednesday game, against undefeated (4-0) Nova Scotia, skipped by Tanya Phillips out of the CFB Halifax Curling Club, PEI had a 3-1 lead after three ends, but NS took a triple and stole 2 singles to grab the lead, going on to win 6-4. PEI wraps up round robin play on Thursday, against NL at 10 am and Nunavut at 2 pm Mountain time.
Left to right: Dennis Watts (skip), Erik Brodersen (3rd), Andrew MacDougall (2nd), Doug MacGregor (lead)
The PEI men’s team, which also includes Erik Broderson, Andrew MacDougall, and Doug MacGregor, lost a close opener against Quebec by an 8-7 score. The Island squad stole a deuce in the final end, but needed a triple for the tie. PEI lost their second game 7-2 against Manitoba, and came out on the short end of a close 8-7 game against Mike Callaghan and his Halifax NS rink, when Callaghan stole the 8th end for the win. In game four against BC (2-2), PEI was tied up coming home without last rock advantage, and BC scored a deuce for a 5-3 win. The Island squad wraps up round robin play against the northern teams, playing Yukon at 10 am and the Northwest Territories at 2 pm Mountain time today.
Both Island rinks have the final round robin draw off.
The 14 men’s and 14 women’s teams are split into two seven-team round-robin pools.
Here is the remainder of the round-robin draw schedule (all times Mountain)
After the single round-robin competition, the top three teams in each pool will make the modified double-knockout playoffs, which begin Friday, Nov. 29, at 9 a.m. (all times Mountain).
The championship semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 30, at 9 a.m., and the semifinal winners will play for gold, and the losers will play for bronze, Saturday, Nov. 30, at 2 p.m.
Selected games from the 2019 Canadian Curling Club Championships will be live-streamed at www.curling.ca/2019clubchampionships.
Scores and standings from the event will be available at www.curling.ca/scoreboard.
(With info from Curling Canada)