Better late than never: Nanaimo rink off to provincials

Van Osch foursome earns final berth to B.C. women’s championship in Victoria

The field for the 2018 Scotties B.C. Women’s Curling Championship is now complete as the final three teams earned their berths this weekend for the provincial championship, set to take place Jan. 2-7 at the Victoria Curling Club.

The eventual winner of the provincial championship then advances to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts national event, which is slated for Jan. 27 to Feb. 4 in Penticton.

Nanaimo’s Kesa Van Osch — with sisters Marika and Kaila at third and second, respectively, and lead Amy Gibson — earned the last spot to the B.C. Scotties by defeating former VCC skip Sarah Wark 9-5 in the C-event final at the final Women’s Open event in Kelowna on Sunday.

“We took the long road but we punched our ticket to provincials!” team Van Osch stated on Twitter afterward.

Wark, formerly of Victoria and now from Chilliwack, had also lost the B-event final 7-3 to Kayte Gyles of Royal City/Cloverdale. Gyles edged Wark 6-4 in the A-event semifinal earlier in the bonspiel before losing the A-final 6-4 to Randi Ludwar of Kelowna.

Ludwar, Gyles and Van Osch now join the Diane Gushulak (Royal City), Corryn Brown (Kamloops), Kim Slattery (Vernon), Karla Thompson (Kamloops/Golden Ears) and Holly Donaldson-skipped rinks at provincials.

Donaldson’s team is a split squad from Vancouver/Victoria and includes the VCC’s Steph Jackson-Baier and Carly Sandwith at second and lead, respectively.

The Gushulak and Brown teams qualified based on their Canadian Team Ranking System points while the remaining teams earned berths through the first Women’s Open event in Hope earlier this month.

Meanwhile, the Boston Pizza B.C. Junior Men’s and Women’s Championships began Monday afternoon at the Langley Curling Club with Kyle Habkirk’s split VCC/Royal City team, which includes Duncan Silversides at third, second Derek Chandler and lead Matt Chan, dropping a 7-4 decision to Johnson Tao of Richmond. Alex Horvath’s VCC rink, with Ryan Cassidey at third, Zane Bartkett at second and lead Tim Henderson, edged Matthew McCrady of Royal City 6-5 in 11 ends in Draw 1 of junior men’s play.

In junior women’s play, Taylor Reese-Hansen’s VCC team, with third Catera Park, second Jordan Koster and lead Sydney Brilz, blanked Elizabeth Bowles of Royal City 5-0 in Draw 1, while Kayla Wilson’s split Juan de Fuca/Kerry Park rink of third Brenda Drought, second Loganne Bell, lead Sasha Wilson and fifth Cassandra Blenkin lost 14-2 to Megan McGillivray of Vernon.

That event continues through Saturday.