Rachel Homan jumped out to an early five-point lead and rolled to a snug 8-4 victory over Suzanne Birt on Thursday afternoon on the PointsBet Invitational.
Homan, who throws fourth on a staff now skipped by third Tracy Fleury, threw 89 per cent within the first-round victory at Willie O’Ree Place.
- CBC Sports activities’ That Curling Present, hosted by Devin Heroux and Colleen Jones, returns Thursday at 9 p.m. ET reside on the CBC Sports activities YouTube channel and CBC Olympics’ Fb and Twitter feeds. Jennifer Jones joins because the crew discusses all the brand new Canadian rinks in addition to the inaugural combined doubles curling collection.
Kaitlyn Lawes outscored Emily Deschenes 10-8 and Kristie Moore, filling in for absent skip Casey Scheidegger, edged Kerry Galusha 8-7.
Penny Barker scored three factors within the tenth finish for a 10-9 win over Hollie Duncan within the lone early upset.
First-round males’s play was scheduled for Thursday night time on the single-knockout competitors.
Play continues by Sunday.
‘Title sport’
The identify sport was performed earlier than Thursday’s opening draw on the PointsBet Invitational because the Staff Fleury identify was iced in favour of Staff Homan.
The staff requested occasion organizers to make the change and Curling Canada agreed to the change for this occasion, a federation spokesman mentioned in an electronic mail.
Fleury joined the powerhouse rink within the low season and is serving as skip whereas throwing third stones. Homan, who skipped the staff final season, nonetheless throws final rock on a rink that features second Emma Miskew and lead Sarah Wilkes.
Nevertheless, making issues complicated for curling followers was that the Ottawa-based staff was referred to as Staff Fleury within the lead-up to the Season of Champions occasion in Fredericton.
World curling rankings additionally use Staff Fleury, as does occasion sponsor PointsBet Canada.
Rights-holder TSN has used each names in its preview content material and tv graphics. The community used Staff Homan for the third-seeded staff’s 8-4 victory over No. 14 Birt on Thursday afternoon.
If the staff qualifies for the nationwide championship – the Feb. 17-26 Scotties Event of Hearts — it is going to be referred to as Staff Fleury, a Curling Canada spokesman mentioned.
It wasn’t the one identify sport wrinkle on the inaugural PointsBet Invitational.
Among the 32 groups within the discipline are sponsored by competing sportsbooks and should not referring to the occasion by its precise identify.
Staff Homan, which has CoolBet has a sponsor, calls the competitors the Curling Canada Invitational on its web site.
