Saunders, Powers open mixed curling championship with 6-5 win
FREDERICTON — With Canadian Sports Hall of Fame inductee Colleen Jones serving as coach, the team of Luke Saunders and Marlee Powers opened the Canadian Mixed Doubles Curling Championship on Sunday with a 6-5 Pool B victory at the Aitken Centre.
Powers and Saunders, from Halifax Curling Club, edged Evan Van Amsterdam and Paige Papley of Edmonton’s Thistle Curling Club in the opening draw of the 32-team championship.
In other Pool B games, Pierre Lanoue and Kelly Tremblay of Boucherville, Que., defeated Nancy Martin and Steve Laycock of Martensville, Sask., 8-4; Jackie McCormick and Trevor Bonot of Stratton, Ont., edged Jim and Jaelyn Cotter of Vernon, B.C., 7-6; and Aaron and Amanda Sluchinski of Airdrie, Alta., rocked Greg and Lauren Cheal of Lennoxville, Ont. 9-1.
In Pool A play, Alex Robichaud and Melissa Adams of Fredericton, N.B., defeated Jasmin Gibeau and Audrey Laplante of Buckingham, Que., 9-2; Laura Walker and Kirk Muyres of Sherwood Park, Alta., defeated Rylan and Madison Kleiter of Saskatoon, 7-4; Tyler Tardi and Andrea Kelly beat Felix Asselin and Laurie St-Georges of Montreal 7-4; and Brayden Stewart and Chaelynn Kitz of Minnedosa, Man., beat Tyler Williams and Ruth Siciliano of Whitehorse, Yukon, 11-3.