Carruthers Opens Viterra With Win
Former Manitoba champion Reid Carruthers and his West St. Paul team (Braeden Moskowy, Derek Samagalski, Colin Hodgson) have opened the 2018 Viterra Championship with a victory. The second seeded team posted an 8-1 victory over Rob Fisher (Dauphin).
The depth of Manitoba curling was on display on the opening draw in Winkler as exactly half of the skips, along with many other players on the ice, have championship credentials. Among the skips, the draw included a world Men’s champion (Carruthers), a world Mixed Doubles Bronze Medallist and Canadian Mixed champion (Sean Grassie), another Manitoba Mixed champion (Terry McNamee), and a pair of Manitoba Junior champions (Riley Smith and Travis Bale).
Along with the Carruthers team victory, first draw wins were posted by Terry McNamee, Travis Bale, Julien Leduc, and David Bohn.
McNamee (Brandon) stole a pair of singles in a 6-2 win over Smith (Fort Rouge).
Bale (Fort Rouge) drew to the four foot facing three for a 7-5 victory over Graham Freeman (Virden).
Leduc (Granite) trailed Grassie 4-2 coming home but made a last shot double kill for three and a 5-4 victory.
Bohn (Assiniboine Memorial) led Cale Dunbar (Riverview-Brandon) 7-6 coming home after Dunbar had scored three on the ninth end. Bohn’s last rock tapback was good for another point and an 8-6 win.
The Viterra championship continues with a 12:15 draw in the Winkler Centennial Arena. The fourth seed, former Saskatchewan champion Pat Simmons will get his first taste of Manitoba championship action when he takes on Brandon Radford and his Swan River team. Former world junior champion Braden Calvert and his Deer Lodge team will play Darryl Friesen (St. Vital).
