CALGARY, November 10…The 45th edition of the Canadian Mixed Curling Championship got underway Saturday afternoon at the Calgary Curling Club.
Twelve teams, representing the 10 provinces plus separate entries for Northern Ontario and Yukon/Northwest Territories, will battle over the next seven days for the right to be crowned 2008 Canadian Mixed champions.
The round robin concludes on Thursday morning, followed by any required tiebreakers, before the playoffs. The first place team will advance to Friday afternoon’s final, while the second and third place teams meet in a semi-final.
Two members of the winning team will also compete in the inaugural 2008 World Mixed Doubles Championship, March 9-15 in Vierumäki, Finland. The team members will decide who will represent Canada at the event.
In first draw action, host Alberta, skipped by Calgary’s Dean Ross, prevailed over Prince Edward Island (Kyle Stevenson of Charlottetown), 8-6, despite giving up single steals in the ninth and 10th ends.
Alberta last won the Mixed in 2004 in Schumacher, Ontario, when Shannon Kleibrink became the first woman skip to win the event. The province is currently tied with Saskatchewan, with a leading eight Mixed titles apiece, since the championship began in 1964 in Toronto.
In other games, Ontario, skipped by three-time Canadian Seniors champion Bob Turcotte of Toronto, had no trouble disposing of Nova Scotia (Peter Burgess of Truro), 10-4. Northern Ontario’s Mike Assad of Thunder Bay put away New Brunswick (Jamie Brannen of Fredericton), 6-2, taking three in the 10th end for the victory. Manitoba’s 2003 provincial junior champion Reid Carruthers of Winnipeg bested Yukon/NWT’s Wade Scoffin of Whitehorse, 6-2, while Quebec’s Simon Dupuis of Thurso took two in the 10th end to upset British Columbia, skipped by 2000 world men’s champion Bryan Miki of New Westminster, 8-6.
In the other game, which went to an extra end, Newfoundland and Labrador, skipped by Brian Bailey of Corner Brook, edged Saskatchewan (Ian Mayoh of Debden), 7-5.
Play continues with Draw 2 tonight at 6:00 pm MT/8:00 pm ET.
CurlTV (www.curltv.com) is providing event coverage to its subscribers.
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