Einarson rink undefeated at curling’s Olympic Pre-Trials
SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — American Kerri Einarson and her rink stole three in both the first and third ends and sailed to a 9-4 victory over Winnipeg’s Darcy Robertson on Tuesday night at the Road to the Roar Pre-Trials.
The win left Einarson as the only unbeaten skip in Pool B in the 14-team women’s competition, while Edmonton’s Kelsey Rocque is the only team with a perfect log (2-0) in Pool A.
While Einarson was busy taking care of Robertson (1-2), Rocque’s team was handling its own business on Sheet A, knocking off previously undefeated Theresa Breen of Halifax (2-1) 6-5.
In other women’s games on Tuesday night, Calgary’s Nadine Scotland (1-2) stole the winning point in the 10th end for a 6-5 victory over Tracy Fleury (1-1) of Sudbury, Ont. Shannon Kleibrink of Okotoks, Alta., evened her record at 1-1 with a 7-2 triumph over Winnipeg’s Shannon Birchard (1-2).
In the only men’s game Tuesday night, Winnipeg’s William Lyburn prevailed in a low-scoring affair, scoring one in the 10th end for a 3-2 win over Edmonton’s Brendan Bottcher (0-2).
Earlier in the day, veteran skips Glenn Howard, Jean-Michel Ménard and John Morris improved to 2-0 in men’s competition.
Howard, the four-time world champion and four-time Canadian champion from Tiny, Ont., remained perfect with a 6-4 win over Saskatoon’s Colton Flasch (0-2). Howard put the game away with a point in the 10th end.
Ménard, the 2006 Brier champion from Lévis, Que., picked up his second win of the day with a 9-5 win over Greg Balsdon’s rink (0-1) from Kingston, Ont..
In other Draw 4 games, Karla Thompson of Kamloops beat Jacqueline Harrison of Mississauga, Ont., 6-5 and Fleury rolled to a 6-1 victory over Birchard.
Sherry Middaugh of Coldwater, Ont., dropped a 7-3 decision to Winnipeg’s Briane Meilleur and Julie Tippin of Woodstock, Ont., topped Scotland 7-5.
Round-robin play continues through Friday and the crossover playoffs begin Saturday.
There are 14 teams entered in both the men’s and women’s draws. Four teams — two men’s teams and two women’s teams — will qualify for the Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings next month in Ottawa.
The Roar of the Rings — also known as the Olympic Trials — will determine Canada’s representatives at the Pyeongchang Olympics in February.