Canada’s Gushue tops Whyte to advance at Canadian Open

CAMROSE, Alta. – Canada’s Brad Gushue picked up a six-end, 5-1 win over Scotland’s Ross Whyte to advance at the Grand Slam of Curling’s Canadian Open on Wednesday.

Gushue of St. John’s, N.L., opened the game with a single and after two scoreless ends, he proceeded to add another in the fourth. In the fifth, Gushue put the game out of reach by scoring a triple.

Canadian Brendan Bottcher also put forth a strong effort, defeating fellow countryman John Epping 7-2 in six ends at the triple-knockout competition.

Italy’s Joel Retornaz ousted Canada’s Reid Carruthers 6-3, while Switzerland’s Yannick Schwaller topped the Netherlands’s Wouter Gosgens 6-3.

In the later draw, Kevin Koe outlasted Colton Flasch 7-6 in an all-Canadian matchup.

Koe opened game with a single before he ended up in an exchange of doubles for three ends, with Flasch taking a 4-3 lead with two of them. However, Koe’s triple in the fifth end proved to be the difference as Flasch could only outscore him 2-1 in the final three ends.

Two other Canadian rinks were ousted. Matt Dunstone suffered a 5-2 loss to American Korey Dropkin, while Tanner Horgan fell 6-2 to Scotland’s Bruce Mouat.

Sweden’s Niklas Edin advanced, narrowly edging Norway’s Magnus Ramsfjell 5-4.

In women’s action, reigning national champion Kerri Einarson defeated Kaitlyn Lawes 7-1 on Wednesday afternoon.

Einarson needed only five ends to complete the victory.

In another all-Canadian Draw 6 matchup at Encana Arena, Abby Ackland scored a single in an extra end for a 5-4 win over Isabelle Ladouceur.

Canada’s Jennifer Jones edged Italy’s Stefania Constantini 6-5 and Sweden’s Isabella Wrana shaded South Korea’s Eun Ji Gim 7-6.

Play continues through Sunday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 11, 2023.