News Elite 10

FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. — Reid Carruthers came out on top again against Mike McEwen in an encore of the Manitoba provincial final during Draw 5 action Friday afternoon at the Syncrude Elite 10. 

Both Winnipeg-based teams now hold 2-1 records with one round-robin game remaining. The non-major Syncrude Elite 10 tournament uses match play rules. Teams compete to win the most ends by either scoring two or more points (with hammer) or steal at least one point (without hammer). A blank results in loss of hammer similar to a skins game, however, the unclaimed point does not carry over to the next end.

McEwen gave up a steal in the first end when he couldn’t knock out Carruthers’ shot rock far enough with the angle raise tap, however, he pulled off the shot in the second to square it. Carruthers sat just one in the third for the push and McEwen grabbed shot rock with his final stone in four to avoid the steal but gave up the hammer. Carruthers broke a tied game with a deuce in the fifth, stole one in six to go 2-up and forced the push in the seventh end to earn the 2-and-1 victory.

Elsewhere, Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., defeated Switzerland’s Sven Michel 1-up to improve to a 2-1 record. Jacobs broke an all-square game winning the third and fifth ends and take a 2-up advantage. The Sochi Olympic gold medallist gave up a point in the seventh but drew to the button with his final shot in eight to prevent another steal and preserve the victory. Michel finished pool play early and went winless at 0-4.

Calgary’s Kevin Koe earned steals in the fourth, fifth and sixth ends to win 3-and-2 over Brad Gushue of St. John’s, N.L. Koe improved to a 2-1 record while Gushue wrapped up pool play at 3-1 and heads to the playoffs.