Team Canada skip Brad Gushue makes a shot as lead Geoff Walker, left, and second E.J. Harnden sweep as they take on Taiwan at the Pan Continental Curling Championship in Kelowna, B.C. in this Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023 handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Curling Canada, Michael Burns *MANDATORY CREDIT*
KELOWNA, B.C. – Brad Gushue lost his opening game at the Pan Continental Curling Championship and brushed it off by saying as long as his Canadian squad didn’t lose the last one he’ll be OK.
Gushue, of St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, turned in a brilliant performance on Saturday and won the gold medal at Kelowna Curling Club by beating Jonduk Park of South Korea 8-3 in nine ends.
Gushue’s crew of vice-skip Mark Nichols, second E.J. Harnden and lead Geoff Walker, counted one in the second end, gave up two in the third and tied the game at 2-2 with a single in the fifth. The Canadian skip then stole two in the sixth and seventh ends to grab full control.
Park got one back in the eighth, but Gushue’s crew put it away in the ninth with a deuce.
Earlier in the day, Riku Yanagisawa of Japan defeated Andrew Stopera of the U.S. 9-6 in nine ends to claim the bronze medal.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 4, 2023.
