Story and Photos by Christian J. Stewart (ISN)
January 3, 2018, Victoria, BC (ISN) – After two opening draws at the 2018 Scotties BC Women’s Curling Championships at the Victoria Curling Club, it is Kamloop’s Team Brown, skipped by Corryn Brown and Kamloop’s Team Thompson, skipped by Karla Thompson, who sit at the top of the standings with perfect 2-0 records.
Corryn Brown and her team of Erin Pincott, Dezaray Hawes and Samantha Fisher, competing in their first ever women’s Provincials, opened the Provincial tournament on Tuesday night with a 7-5 win over Holly Donaldson’s Vancouver/Victoria rink (featuring Victoria natives Steph Jackson-Baier, Lindsay Hudyma and Carley Sandwith) and then followed that up in Wednesday’s 11:00 am draw with a 5-4 win over Cloverdale’s Kayte Gyles (with third Shawna Jensen, second Caitlin Campbell and lea Amanda Tipper).
Karla Thompson and her team of Kristen Recksiedler, Shannon Joanisse, Trysta Vandale and fifth Diane Dezura opened Tuesday with an 8-5 win over Nanaimo’s Kesa Van Osch’s rink (with Marika and Kaila Van Osch and Amy Gibson) and then defeated Kelowna’s Randi Ludwar and her team of Lori Seeman, Erinn Bartlett and Jill McIntyre, 7-4 on Wednesday.
One of either Team Brown or Team Thompson will stay undefeated after Wednesday night’s 6:30 pm draw, as the two teams meet head-to-head in a crucial early round match-up that will put one team in the driver’s seat with a 3-0 record (that draw was in progress at press time).
Other teams competing at the 2018 Scotties, presented by Best Western, include Vernon’s Team Slattery (skip Alyssa Kyllo, third Kelsi Jones, second, Morgayne Eby and lead Kim Slattery) and Vancouver’s Team Gushulak (skip Diane Gushulak, third Grace MacInnes, second Jessie Sanderson, lead Sandra Comadina and fifth Ashley Sanderson).
The Scotties 2018 BC Women’s Curling Championships continues with round robin play Thursday with Draw 4 and 5 at 11:00 AM and 6:30 PM respectively and again on Friday with Draw 6 and 7 at 9:00 am and 2:00 pm respectively.
If tie-breakers are needed, they will be played on Friday evening at 7:00 pm and 8:30 am on Saturday. Playoff rounds will then take place at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm Saturday. Sunday will see the semi-final game at 11:00 am, followed by the final and closing ceremonies at 4:00 pm.
The Victoria Curling Club is located on Quadra Street in Victoria, adjacent to the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre and the Victoria Police Station. Tickets at the door are $5 per draw or $35 for a full tournament pass.
