TORONTO — Mike McEwen and John Epping posted victories Thursday afternoon to remain unbeaten at The Players’ Championship at the Mattamy Athletic Centre.
McEwen, from Winnipeg, topped Kevin Koe’s Calgary rink 7-5 while Epping, from Toronto, downed Saskatoon’s Steve Laycock 7-1. McEwen and Epping were both 3-0 after seven draws to lead the men’s standings at the season’s final Grand Slam of Curling stop.
In other early action, Edmonton’s Brendan Bottcher beat Switzerland’s Sven Michel 7-2 and former Olympic champion Brad Gushue of St. John’s got by world champion Niklas Edin of Sweden 6-4.
Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., was alone in third place at 2-0 while Bottcher, Koe and Gushue were tied in fourth at 2-1.
Ottawa’s Rachel Homan topped the women’s standings at 3-0 after her 5-3 win over Winnipeg’s Kristy McDonald in the morning draw. Sherry Middaugh of Coldwater, Ont., earned a 7-4 win over Sweden’s Margaretha Sigfridsson and Edmonton’s Val Sweeting edged Switzerland’s Silvana Tirinzoni 6-5.
World champion Alina Paetz of Switzerland was also unbeaten at 2-0. Middaugh and Sweeting were tied with Scotland’s Eve Muirhead at 2-1.
There are 12 teams entered in both the women’s and men’s draws. Play was scheduled to continue later Thursday.
The playoffs will begin Saturday and the finals are scheduled for Sunday.
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