Manitoba’s two teams both split a pair of games on Wednesday at the Everest Curling Club Championships at Assiniboine Memorial.

Derrick Anderson’s Men’s team from Gimli had a strong start to the day, scoring an opening five and then stealing three to lead Quebec 8-0 on their way to an 11-5 victory. That win was followed by an afternoon 7-3 loss to British Columbia.

Kara Balshaw’s Women’s team from Thistle/Fort Rouge had the opposite patter – an early 6-3 loss to Ontario before beating Saskatchewan 8-5.

The women’s record is 3W-2L. Ontario has finished their round robin with a 5W-1L record. Alberta is at 4W-1L and Saskatchewan at 3W-2L. In the other pool BC is at 5W-0L while Northern Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick are all at 3W-2L.

The men have a 3W-2L record, tied with three others (Nunavut, Saskatchewan, BC) on top of their pool. In the other men’s pool Alberta leads with a 5W-0L record with Ontario (4W-1L) and New Brunswick (4W-2L) close behind.

The Manitoba teams finish their preliminary rounds Thursday when both play Nunavut.

Four teams from each pool advance to the double knock out round (to qualify into the championship round). The Manitoba teams, with wins, should advance and even with a loss, the men could advance (a best guess based on the win-loss records head-to-head with teams they would probably be tied with!).

(TUESDAY) MANITOBA’S ANDERSON 2-1, BALSHAW 1-2 AFTER DAY 3 AT AMCC: It took an extra end but Derrick Anderson’s Team Manitoba defeated Saskatchewan 7-6 Tuesday afternoon to improve their record to 2W-1L at the Everest Curling Club Men’s Championship at Assiniboine Memorial. At 2W-1L, Manitoba is tied with BC, a win behind Quebec.

Manitoba will play Quebec at 9AM on Wednesday.

IN the other men’s pool, Alberta leads the way (3W-0L) trailed by New Brunswick (3W-1L) and Ontario & Nova Scotia (both 2w-1L).

In the women’s competition, Kara Balshaw’s Team Manitoba lost an early Tuesday 6-4 game to Alberta to fall to 1W-2L. Alberta and Saskatchewan are on top of that pool with perfect 3W-0L records trailed by Ontario at 3W-1L. In the other pool BC leads the way with a 3W-0L record trailed by Nova Scotia, Northern Ontario and New Brunswick who are all at 2W-1L.

Manitoba plays Ontario at 12:30 Wednesday.

(MONDAY) MANITOBA’S ANDERSON, BALSHAW TEAMS BOTH 1-1 AFTER DAY 2 AT AMCC: Manitoba’s Derrick Anderson and his Gimli team (Justin Hoplock, Mitch Einarson, Chris Sigurdson) have opened the Everest Curling Club Championship at Assiniboine Memorial with a split of their first two games.

In their first game, on the Monday afternoon draw, the Gimli foursome jumped out to a 7-2 lead after five ends and stole three on end six to win it. (Teams are required to play a full seven ends before conceding, with the exception that they can conceded after six if down by seven or more.)

On the evening draw, playing Prince Edward Island, Anderson and his team were tied at 3-3 after four ends but gave up a pair of twos in the second half of the game (5th & 7th ends) to lose 7-3.

Manitoba’s Women’s team, Kara Balshaw’s Thistle/Fort Rouge foursome (Heather Carson, Sandra Carson, Cathy Gingera, alternate Kim Merasty) also won their opening game Sunday; a 7-2 victory over Newfoundland/Labrador. Game two saw the Manitobans give up a five on the fifth end to trail 7-2. They fought back with two on the 6th, and steals of two on end seven and one on end eight. The tie forced an extra end but the comeback attempt ended with Prince Edward island scoring a deuce for a 9-7 win.