De Cruz, Whyte and Bottcher book final National playoff berths
CHESTERMERE, Alta. — It was last call Saturday morning and Team Peter de Cruz from Switzerland, Team Ross Whyte from Scotland and Edmonton’s Team Brendan Bottcher grabbed the final three berths for the Boost National playoffs.
De Cruz defeated Winnipeg’s Team Mike McEwen and Bottcher blitzed Team Glenn Howard of Penetanguishene, Ont., by identical 7-1 scores while Whyte shaded Switzerland’s Team Yannick Schwaller 7-4 during the C-qualifiers of the triple knockout stage at Chestermere Recreation Centre.
All three advanced to the men’s quarterfinals with 3-2 records.
Team Brad Gushue of St. John’s, N.L., and Team Niklas Edin from Sweden swept through the A brackets undefeated at 3-0.
Scotland’s Team Bruce Mouat, Team Kevin Koe of Calgary and Team Matt Dunstone of Regina reached the men’s quarterfinals Friday through the B brackets with 3-1 records.
Gushue goes up against Whyte, Edin meets de Cruz, Mouat meets Bottcher and Koe clashes with Dunstone at 4 p.m. local time.
Boost National: Live Scores and Standings | Draw Schedule | Broadcast Schedule
UP NEXT
The women’s quarterfinals are up first with Team Tracy Fleury of East St. Paul, Man., vs. Edmonton’s Team Laura Walker, Switzerland’s Team Silvana Tirinzoni vs. Team Alina Kovaleva from Russia, Sweden’s Team Anna Hasselborg vs. Ottawa’s Team Rachel Homan and Edmonton’s Team Kelsey Rocque vs. Team Isabella Wranå from Sweden.
Broadcast coverage resumes with the women’s quarterfinals at 2 p.m. ET / Noon MT on Sportsnet, Sportsnet NOW (Canada) and Yare (international).
The men’s quarterfinals are at 6 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. MT (Sportsnet ONE) followed by both the men’s and women’s semifinals at 10 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. MT (Sportsnet ONE).
NO TICK ZONE
Teams cannot tick guards off of the centre line while the five-rock, free guard zone is in effect during the eighth and extra ends.
NOTES
The Boost National is the second of five events on the 2021-22 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling schedule and features 16 of the top men’s teams and 16 of the top women’s teams from around the world with a combined $300,000 prize purse. … The winning teams earning $33,000 plus spots in the season-ending KIOTI Tractor Champions Cup. … Tickets are available at boost.goigniter.com.
