Paetz, Sweeting move up to 3-0 at Tour Challenge
REGINA — Alina Paetz of Switzerland and Edmonton’s Val Sweeting have climbed to 3-0 records at the Tour Challenge Tier 1.
Paetz, the 2015 world champion, powered past Allison Flaxey of Caledon, Ont., 8-0 during Thursday morning’s Draw 7 action.
After settling for a single to start, Paetz rolled out on the steal train swiping three in the second, one in the third, two in the fourth and another in the fifth.
For Paetz, it was a case of figuring out the ice faster and putting on the pressure from there.
“The sheet was pretty tough so it curled much more on one side,” Paetz said. “We needed some time to adapt to the ice, but I think we handled it pretty well, played well, and they missed some important shots.”
Paetz is through to the playoffs already with one more round-robin game to go against Winnipeg’s Jennifer Jones in the afternoon.
“It feels really good,” Paetz said. “It’s the first bonspiel for us and to play that well at the beginning is pretty nice.”
Flaxey, the winner of last season’s Masters title, fell to a 0-3 record.
Meanwhile, Sweeting stole a 5-4 extra-end victory from Jacqueline Harrison of Mississauga, Ont. Harrison, who rolled heavy on her last shot, fell to a 1-2 record.
Regina’s Michelle Englot and her Winnipeg-based team improved to a 2-1 record rolling out to an 8-0 shutout over Tracy Fleury (0-3) of Sudbury, Ont.
The 2017 Scotties Tournament of Hearts silver medallist Englot got a single in the first and then stole away with two in the second, a point in the third, three in the fourth and one more in the fifth.
Switzerland’s Silvana Tirinzoni scored a 7-3 victory over Julie Tippin of Woodstock, Ont.
Tirinzoni is at 2-0 while Tippin is level at 1-1.
NOTES
The Tour Challenge is the season-opening event of the 2017-18 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling calendar and runs through to Sunday at the Co-operators Centre at Evraz Place. … Winners of the Tier 1 division receive invites to the season-ending Pinty’s GSOC event, the Humpty’s Champions Cup, running April 24-29 in Calgary. … Winners of the Tier 2 division earn berths to the following Pinty’s GSOC event, the Masters, taking place Oct. 24-29 in Lloydminster, Sask.
