The 2021 PEI Curling Club Championships got underway on Friday, with the six women’s teams playing at the Crapaud Community Curling Club,  and the 9-team men’s event taking place in Montague.

Silver Fox men (L-R): Jonathan Greenan, Tim Hockin, Darren Higgins, Mike Spencer

On Saturday afternoon the Silver Fox men’s team skipped by Darren Higgins, captured the first of three modified triple knockout qualifier games for the championship round with a 9-5 win over the Crapaud team, captained by Alan Inman. Crapaud took singles in the first two ends, but the Silver Fox took four points in the third. The teams traded deuces, but a triple steal in the sixth helped seal the win for the Summerside squad. In other games, Cornwall, skipped by Robbie Doherty, was leading 8-5 after six ends against the 2020 champs, skipped by Ed White out of the Silver Fox, but White took a triple and recorded a single for a 9-8 come-from-behind win. In other games, Montague, skipped by Matthew MacDonald, beat Phil McInnis’ Charlottetown rink 7-4, and Souris was eliminated in a close 6-5 loss to the Maple Leaf club.

In the Women’s Championship in Crapaud, the 2020 champs, skipped by Veronica Smith out of the Silver Fox won the battle of undefeated teams, stealing the extra end to get by the Shelly Bradley rink representing the Charlottetown Curling Club, by a 6-5 score to move to a 3-0 win-loss record in the round robin, while Charlottetown goes to 2-1. In other games, Montague, skipped by Lynn Anne Brousseau, improved to 2-1 with a 7-4 win over Crapaud (0-3), skipped by Amanda Holm, while Cornwall, skipped by Susan Dowling-Shaw, and the Silver Fox, skipped by Jenny White, both sit at 1-2 following an 8-5 win by the Summerside foursome.

(L-R): Veronica Smith, Sabrina Smith, Emily Gray from the 2020 Championship team. Missing from photo is lead Katie Fullerton

Charlottetown’s team, skipped by Shelly Bradley (left). with Amanda Power (2nd from right) at third and Aleya Quilty (right) at second. Jodi Murphy (not shown) is replacing Kristie Rogers (2nd from left) who is attending university in NB, at lead

Men’s and women’s play continues at 6 pm.

There are no spectators allowed in the facilities for this event.

Live end-by-end results from both events are available at PEICurling.com/scoreboard

The winning women’s and men’s teams will advance to the 2021 Everest Canadian Curling Club Championships at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club from Nov. 28-Dec. 4, 2021.

Here is the women’s draw and schedule  (round-robin with tiebreakers if necessary, and the top three teams advancing to a championship round):Here is the men’s modified triple knockout draw with two-game championship round (if necessary) draw and schedule: