Three Victoria Curling Centre teams all advanced to provincial championships through qualifying playdowns this past weekend.
Sarah Wark and her VCC team of third Simone Brosseau, second Michelle Allen and lead Rachelle Kallechy bounced back from a close 7-6 A-event loss to defeat Amanda Russett of Kamloops 7-3 to take the B-event qualifier at the second and final women鈥檚 playdowns at Golden Ears Winter Club in Maple Ridge.
Wark used a three-ender in the eighth to rid herself of Russett. Earlier the local rink lost to Diane Gushulak of Royal City Curling Club in the A-event final. A steal of two in the eighth allowed Gushulak to come away with the victory.
Wark advances to the Scotties sa国际传媒 Women鈥檚 Championship, slated for Jan. 19-24 in Coquitlam.
Meanwhile, Wes Craig swept through his three games on the way to securing the first of two qualifying spots available at the Men鈥檚 Island Playdowns at the Parksville Curling Club.
The veteran skip, along with third Scott MacDonald, second Tony Anslow and lead Victor Gamble, defeated VCC clubmate Jasom Montgomery 10-7 in the A-event final.
Montgomery, with Jody Epp at third, Miles Craig at second and lead Will Duggan, was also defeated 8-5 by Neil Dangerfield in the B-event final, which secured the second qualifying position for the Canadian Direct Insurance sa国际传媒 Men鈥檚 Championship, set for Feb. 10-14 in Nelson.
Dangerfield 鈥� with third Dennis Sutton, second Darren Boden and lead Glen Allen 鈥� had squeaked by veteran Glen Jackson 7-6 to advance to the B final. Dangerfield bounced back from a 3-0 deficit after the opening end against Montgomery, using a deuce in the sixth end and a steal of two more in the seventh to turn the tide.
One more men鈥檚 open playdown will be held Jan. 8-10 in Salmon Arm to determine the final entries into the provincial championship.
