A pair of women’s teams know that they’ll be staying in North Battleford for the weekend at the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling’s Meridian Canadian Open.
Switzerland’s Silvana Tirinzoni and Edmonton’s Val Sweeting both clinched spots in the playoffs after they each won their ‘A’ finals at the Civic Centre Thursday afternoon.
Tirinzoni, who was the runner-up at the Boost National in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. last month, picked up her third win of the week with an 8-3 triumph over Michelle Englot’s Winnipeg rink.
“The girls have been playing great so far,” Team Tirinzoni third Cathy Overton-Clapham said. “Silvana’s been calling a great game, we’ve been executing our game plan, and we just want to keep that going.
“You always want to be better for the playoffs, and I know that I need to make a few more shots myself in order to help the team.”
Overton-Clapham has been with the Tirinzoni rink for the last two Grand Slam of Curling events while regular third Manuela Siegrist has been sidelined with a knee injury.
“Having that one event under our belts already has been huge for us,” Overton-Clapham said. “We all like to win games, and that’s what we’ve been able to do so far.”
Sweeting was sublime in her 6-3 win over Mississauga’s Jacqueline Harrison, as she made a number of spectacular takeouts.
“She made every hit and roll and she got us out of a couple of pickles,” Team Sweeting third Lori Olson-Johns said. “I think she was really inspired to not have to play again on Friday.
“If she can play like that through the playoffs, we’ll be in great shape. I’ll just need to sharpen my toolbox up a little bit.”
The other two women’s games were in the ‘B’ bracket.
In an all Winnipeg contest, Jennifer Jones had a 6-5 win over Kerri Einarson, while Allison Flaxey of Caledon, Ont. cruised to an 11-5 triumph over Brianne Meilleur of Winnipeg.
In men’s competition, Kyle Smith’s Scottish rink saw his week come to an end as they fell 6-3 to defending Canadian Open champion John Epping of Toronto.
Thursday night’s draw will also see another men’s team eliminated, as Saskatoon’s Steve Laycock faces off with American Heath McCormick in a ‘C’ event contest.
The first women’s bracket elimination will also occur tonight when Calgary’s Chelsea Carey matches up with Tracy Fleury of Sudbury.
There will also be three games in the men’s ‘B’ event.
Kingston’s Greg Balsdon will play St. John’s Brad Gushue, Mike McEwen of Winnipeg faces off with Brendan Bottcher of Edmonton and Winnipeg’s Reid Carruthers takes on John Morris of Vernon, B.C.
