SWIFT CURRENT -- Saskatoon’s Mike McEwen has made the most of playing close to home this week at the RBC Dominion Securities Western Showdown.
McEwen and his rink of third Colton Flasch, second Kevin Marsh and lead Daniel Marsh went unbeaten through their first three games at the event currently underway at the Swift Current Curling Club, defeating Toronto’s John Epping 6-5 on Saturday morning to qualify for the championship round.
The ultra-elite event features some of the top men’s and women’s rinks from all over the world battling it out for $50,000 Thursday through Monday.
Things weren’t easy for the reigning Sask Tankard champions, though, as Epping scored a pair in the eighth end to tie the game, forcing McEwen to put the hammer to good use and score one in the extra for the victory.
The other men’s A final saw former Tankard champ Matt Dunstone and his Winnipeg rink of third Colton Lott, second E.J. Harnden and lead Ryan Harnden score one in the eighth to take a 7-6 victory over Saskatoon’s Rylan Kleiter.
Both teams now advance to the championship round beginning Monday at 9 a.m.
Plenty of big names are still in the hunt on the B side, with Epping taking on St. John’s Brad Gushue, Kleiter battling Calgary’s Kevin Koe and Edmonton’s Brad Jacobs facing New Westminster, B.C.’s Brent Pierce in their respective championship round qualifiers. Each of those games takes place during the 2:30 draw.
In the women’s draw, the championship semifinals are now set -- and a Saskatchewan curling legend is in the hunt.
Regina’s Michelle Englot, fourth Stephanie Schmidt, third Sara England and second Ashley Williamson took an 8-5 win over Calgary’s Kayla Skrlik in their first championship round match-up and will now face Michigan’s Delaney Strouse in the semifinal.
Strouse, third Sarah Anderson, second Sydney Mullaney and lead Anne O’Hara defeated Kamloops’ Corryn Brown 7-5 in their semi.
Switzerland’s Xenia Schwaller, third Selina Gafner, second Fabienne Rieder and lead Selina Rychiger booked their spot in the final four by putting up deuces in the final two ends to take a 7-3 win over Victoria’s Kayla MacMillian.
Schwaller will take on Japan’s Satsuki Fujisawa, third Chinami Yoshida, second Yumi Suzuki and lead Yurika Yoshida in the other semifinal after they defeated St. Adolph, Man.’s Kate Cameron 6-5.
Both women’s semifinals are set for 5:45 p.m. with the winners there playing for the championship at 9 p.m. Sunday. The final three C qualifiers on the men’s side will also be decided during the late draw.
The men’s quarter-finals are set for 9 a.m. Monday, followed by the semifinal at 12:30 p.m. and championship at 4 p.m.
Be sure to keep an eye on www.curlingzone.com for regular up-to-the-minute updates.
