Sep 26, 2016
WCT Recap: Middaugh, Englot pick up big wins
Sherry Middaugh and her squad picked up a nice victory in Kitchener-Waterloo while Team Michelle Englot posted their first event win as a foursome in Winnipeg this weekend on the World Curling Tour.
TSN.ca Staff
Men's Tour
College Clean Restoration Curling Classic from Saskatoon, SK
Sept 23-26, 2016
Purse: $50,000
Playing in a very tough field, the Olympic champions from Sault Ste. Marie were able to pick up their first event win of the season Monday night in Saskatoon. Team Brad Jacobs defeated Norway's Thomas Ulsrud, 6-3, in the championship game. Skip Jacobs, third Ryan Fry, second E.J. Harden and lead Ryan Harden also topped Sweden’s Niklas Edin in the quarter-finals and Steve Laycock (in his home province) in the semi-finals.
Despite an undefeated round robin at the Brier, the foursome failed to win an event last season aside from the TSN's Skins Game.
The massive 31-rink field included two-time defending champion Mike McEwen (failed to make playoffs), Brendan Bottcher (lost in the semis), Reid Carruthers (failed to make playoffs), John Epping (lost in the quarters) and Charley Thomas (lost in the quarters).
Mother Club Fall Curling Classic from Winnipeg, MB
Sept 22-25, 2016
Purse: $12,000
David Bohn defended his championship at the Mother Club Fall Curling Classic on Sunday, beating Chang-Min Kim of Korea, 6-5, in an extra end.
Skip Bohn, third Justin Richter, second Tyler Forrest and lead Bryce J. McEwen won the event last year as well.
Two-time national junior champ Matt Dunstone is making the leap to the pros this year and made it all the way to semi-finals before losing to Kim, 4-3.
Jason Gunnlaugson fell to Bohn in the quarters.
KW Fall Classic from Kitchener-Waterloo, ON
Sept 22-25, 2016
Purse: $9,900
Richard Krell and his young Ontario squad beat Ryan LeDrew, also from Ontario, 5-4 in the final of the KW Classic on Sunday. Team Krell won with a single in the extra end.
The foursome went a perfect 6-0 over the four-day event.
Lakeshore Curling Club Cashspiel from Lower Sackville, NS
Sept 21-25, 2016
Purse: $8000
Halifax’s Stuart Thompson lost just once all week en route to their victory in Nova Scotia. Skip Thompson, third Colten Steele, second Travis Colter and lead Alex MacNeil beat fellow native of Halifax Chad Stevens in the final, 5-4.
Women's Tour
Mother Club Fall Curling Classic from Winnipeg, MB
Sept 22-25, 2016
Purse: $8000
Michelle Englot’s new crew has their first event win under their belt. Skip Englot, third Kate Cameron, second Leslie Wilson-Westcott and lead Raunora-Westcott went 6-0 in Winnipeg and beat Joelle Brown in the final, 7-6.
Englot is taking over for the Winnipeg squad previously skipped by Kristy McDonald this season. Englot had played out of Regina, Sask., for her entire curling career, but made the move to Manitoba in hopes of a Scotties appearance.
The 15-rink filed featured teams all from Manitoba.
KW Fall Classic from Kitchener-Waterloo, ON
Sept 22-25, 2016
Purse: $10,000
Four-time Scotties Tournament of Hearts bronze medalist Sherry Middaugh downed Julie Tippin of Woodstock in the championship game, 6-5. Middaugh scored one in an extra end to pick up her first win of the season. Both teams had lost just once all week heading into the final.
Team Middaugh also includes third Jo-Ann Rizzo, second Lee Merklinger and lead Leigh Armstrong.
Allison Flaxey, second on the WCT money list this year and the defending champ of this event, fell to American Cory Christensen in the quarter-final while Sudbury’s Tracy Fleury failed to make the playoffs in Kitchener-Waterloo.
Lakeshore Curling Club Cashspiel from Lower Sackville, NS
Sept 21-25, 2016
Purse: $6.400
Nancy McConnery was the surprise winner in Nova Scotia this weekend, beating the defending provincial champ Jill Brothers in the final, 5-4.
McConnery, alongside third Jocelyn Nix, second MacKenzie Proctor and lead Shelly Barker stole a point in the last end to take the title. This was McConnery’s first win on the WCT since 2006.
Looking Ahead
Men's Tour
Swiss Cup Basel from Basel, Switzerland (CCT Event)
Sept 29-Oct 2, 2016
Defending Champion: Brad Gushue
Prestige Hotels & Resorts Curling Classic from Vernon, BC
Sept 30-Oct 3, 2016
Defending Champion: Pat Simmons
Avonair Cash Spiel from Edmonton, AB
Sept 30-Oct 2, 2016
Defending Champion: SooHyuk Kim
Sept 30-Oct 2
Defending Champion: Peter Daley
Women's Tour
Stockholm Ladies Cup from Stockholm, Sweden (CCT Event)
Sept 29-Oct 2, 2016
Defending Champion: Rachel Homan
Prestige Hotels & Resorts Curling Classic from Vernon, BC
Sept 29-Oct 2, 2016
Defending Champion: Stefanie Lawton
Avonair Cash Spiel from Edmonton, AB
Sept 30-Oct 2, 2016
Defending Champion: Jie Mei