Fleury shades Stern in Masters women’s quarterfinals
NORTH BAY, Ont. — Team Tracy Fleury might be based in East St. Paul, Man., but they have the Memorial Gardens crowd on their side for the Masters.
With their skip from nearby Sudbury and her family, friends and fans in attendance, Team Fleury had them roaring with a 7-3 win over Switzerland’s Team Elena Stern during Saturday afternoon’s quarterfinals.
Fleury will face No. 2 seed Team Anna Hasselborg in the evening semifinals after the defending Masters champions from Sweden bounced Team Kerri Einarson of Gimli, Man., 7-1 in only five ends to stay undefeated at 5-0.
The other side of the bracket sees No. 1 seed Team Silvana Tirinzoni, also unbeaten at 5-0, take on Team Sayaka Yoshimura of Japan. Tirinzoni, who is the reigning world champion, eliminated Japan’s Team Satsuki Fujisawa 7-6 in an extra end while Yoshimura stunned Winnipeg’s Team Jennifer Jones, who won the 2018 world gold medal in this very rink, 6-4.
Scotland’s Team Bruce Mouat meets Team Matt Dunstone from Regina and Toronto’s Team John Epping takes on Team Brad Gushue of St. John’s, N.L., in the men’s semifinals.
Watch the semifinals on Sportsnet 360 at 8 p.m. ET. Stream online at Sportsnet NOW (Canada) and Yare (international).
Both finals are scheduled for Sunday.
NOTES: The Masters is the first of six Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling events on the season and one of four majors in the series. … The total prize purse is $300,000 and is split evenly between the men’s and women’s divisions. Winners receive $35,000 plus berths towards the season-ending Humpty’s Champions Cup taking place April 29 to May 3, 2020, in Olds, Alta. … Also up for grabs at the Masters are Pinty’s Cup bonus points. The leaders following the conclusion of the Players’ Championship in April will capture the Pinty’s Cup with additional prize money awarded.
