Team Manitoba-Lawes skip Kaitlyn Lawes encourages her teammates as they play Team Alberta in qualifications at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Calgary, Friday, Feb. 23, 2024. anada's Kaitlyn Lawes defeated Japan's Ikue Kitazawa 6-4 on Wednesday at the Grand Slam of Curling's Co-op Canadian Open. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
NISKU, Alta. – Canada’s Brad Gushue improved to 2-0 with an 8-2 victory over Kevin Koe on Wednesday at the Grand Slam of Curling’s Co-op Canadian Open.
Gushue, from St. John’s, N.L., started out hot, jumping out to a 5-0 lead after just two ends. Koe, from Calgary, conceded the final two ends, closing the game after six ends.
Calgary’s Brad Jacobs also remained undefeated at 2-0 with a 8-2 win over American John Shuster. In other games from Wednesday’s final draw, Winnipeg’s Matt Dunstone defeated Saskatoon’s Mike McEwen 8-4 and Switzerland’s Marco Hoesli topped Yannick Schwaller, also from Switzerland 8-1.
In women’s action, Ottawa’s Rachel Homan beat Edmonton’s Selena Sturmay 4-3 to be 2-0. Winnipeg’s Chelsea Carey also improved to 2-0 with a 9-2 win over Sweden’s Isabella Wrana.
Meanwhile, Kerri Einarson of Gimli, Man., fell 6-4 to Japan’s Sayaka Yoshimura for her first loss at the event.
Earlier in the day, Winnipeg’s Kaitlyn Lawes defeated Japan’s Ikue Kitazawa 6-4 in the opening draw. In other early games, Xenia Schwaller edged Silvana Tirinzoni 6-5 in an all-Swiss battle, Italy’s Stefania Constantini beat South Korea’s Seung-youn Ha 7-3 and Japan’s Satsuki Fujisawa dumped South Korea’s Eun-ji Gim 8-2.
The playoffs start Saturday and the finals are set for Sunday at the Grand Slam of Curling event.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.