PICTOU, NS –
Canada’s Kerri Einarson defeated South Korea’s Seungyoun Ha 7-1 at the Grand Slam of Curling’s Kioti National on Wednesday morning.
Einarson and her team from Gimli, Man., needed just five ends to complete the win at the Pictou County Wellness Center.
In other early games, Ottawa’s Rachel Homan scored a 7-1 win over Halifax’s Christina Black and Sweden’s Anna Hasselborg defeated Winnipeg’s Kaitlyn Lawes 6-3.
Sweden’s Isabella Wrana needed an extra end to complete a 7-6 victory over Kate Cameron of Winnipeg.
On Wednesday afternoon, Winnipeg resident Jennifer Jones improved to 2-0 with a 6-3 win over Japan’s Satsuki Fujisawa.
Clancy Grandy of Vancouver beat Delaney Strouse of the United States 8-7 to improve to 1-1, Eun-Ji Gim of South Korea beat Switzerland’s Silvana Tirinzoni 6-5 and Italy’s Stefania Constantini won 6-2 Tabitha Peterson United States.
In the men’s event, Brad Gushue of St. John’s, N.L., the event’s defending champion, lost 6-3 to Sweden’s Niklas Eden on Wednesday night, finishing 1-1.
No. 1-ranked Brendan Bottcher and his Calgary team defeated Winnipeg’s Matt Dunstone 7-2 and remained undefeated at 2-0.
Aaron Sluchinski of Airdrie, Alta., defeated John Shuster of the United States 6-4, also improving to 2-0, and Scotland’s Ross Whyte defeated Owen Purcell of Halifax 7-5, rounding out the final draw of the day .
Reigning world champion Bruce Mouat of Scotland defeated Reid Carruthers of Winnipeg 7-2 in the men’s afternoon draw.
Italy’s Joel Retornaz, who won the season-opening Grand Slam in Niagara Falls, Ont., last month, beat Korey Dropkin of the United States 6-3.
Calgary’s Kevin Koe took care of things with a 7-3 victory over Japan’s Riku Yanagisawa, and Switzerland’s Yannick Schwaller needed an extra end to beat Scotland’s James Craik 7-6.
The game lasts until Sunday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2023.
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