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Eight Ends: Week 18 curling tour roundup

It was busy times all around the world for Week 18 on the curling tour spanning three continents.

This week’s Eight Ends highlights all the action heading into the holiday break:

1st End: Qinghai China Men’s International

We begin our global trek in China where Norway’s Thomas Ulsrud doubled up on Canada’s William Lyburn 6-3 in the men’s final. Ulsrud finished with an 8-1 record overcoming an earlier loss to Lyburn during the round-robin stage.

Sweden’s Gustav Eskilsson beat American Craig Brown 8-5 to finish third.

2nd End: Qinghai China Women’s International

Over on the women’s side, Canada’s Corryn Brown defeated Scotland’s Hannah Fleming 9-4.

Team Brown fell behind in the round-robin portion with a 1-2 record, but never dropped another game from there winning six straight.

Brown, the 2013 Canadian junior champion from Kamloops, B.C., now shifts her attention to junior provincials, which begin in exactly one week on Boxing Day in New Westminster.

3rd End: Karuizawa International women’s division

Over to Japan now for the Karuizawa International, the site where curling made it’s full-medal return to the Winter Olympics in 1998.

Un-Chi Gim of South Korea completed a 6-0 run taking the title with a 7-4 win over Sweden’s Margaretha Sigfridsson.

Scotland’s Eve Muirhead finished third beating Anna Sidorova of Russia 5-3 for bronze.

4th End: Karuizawa International men’s division

Tom Brewster capped a perfect run through Karuizawa beating compatriot David Murdoch 4-3 in an all-Scottish team men’s final. Brewster finished with an unblemished 6-0 record.

Japan’s Yusuke Morozumi claimed bronze beating John Morris and his team from Vernon, B.C., 7-5.

5th End: McCormick drifts up the charts

Across the Pacific Ocean and landing in Minnesota, Heath McCormick captured his fourth tour title of the season at the Curling Mesabi Classic.

McCormick defeated John Shuster 5-3 in an all-American men’s final. It was a repeat of last month’s Coors Light Cash Spiel championship game with McCormick now holding a 2-0 record over his nearest rival leading up to U.S. nationals.

6th End: Title No. 4 for Chyz

Calgary’s Nadine Chyz also earned her fourth tour title of 2016 on the women’s side at the Curling Mesabi Classic.

Chyz defeated Cassie Potter 6-2 in Sunday’s final.

7th: Smith takes Dumfries Challenger Series

One more leap across the other ocean where Scotland’s Kyle Smith earned his second title of the season capturing the CCT’s Dumfries Challenger Series on home ice.

Smith edged compatriot Cameron Bryce 4-3 in the final. Team Smith kept their record clean at 7-0.

Switzerland’s Alisha Mathis skipped her Schaffhausen Vitodata team to victory on the women’s side outlasting Scotland’s Sophie Jackson 7-6.

8th End: Two weeks to the Canadian Open

Right after the calendar flips into the new year we’re off to North Battleford, Sask., for the Meridian Canadian Open.

If you’re looking for a final present for that special someone, why not get them tickets to the fourth stop of the 2016-17 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling season? Click here or call 306-445-7827 to purchase your tickets today.

If you can’t join us in North Battleford, Sportsnet and CBC will have you covered. Click here for the TV schedule.