The dream of a Canadian championship has ended at the Everest Curling Club Championships for the Manitoba a skipped by Derrick Anderson and Kara Balshaw.

Entering the day, both could qualify for the medal round by winning one of two games.

Both lost both games on the day. Team Anderson lost 7-3 to Alberta while Balshaw was beaten 6-2 by New Brunswick in the A-Qualifier games. Both lost to Nova Scotia in the B-Qualifiers: Anderson 5-4, Bashaw 6-4.

The first medal round games, at 10AM Saturday, on the Women’s side are New Brunswick vs Nova Scotia and Ontario vs BC. On the Men’s side, Alberta plays Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan plays Quebec.

The winners play for the gold medal at 2:30pm. The losers play for the bronze medal.

(Thursday) BALSHAW & ANDERSON’S MANITOBA TEAMS A WIN AWAY FROM THE MEDAL ROUND: Important first game wins as both of Manitoba’s teams advance at the Everest Canadian Curling Club Championships. The first playoff round wins are significant as Kara Balshaw & Derrick Anderson and their teams now have two chances to qualify for the medal round.

Both teams had to win their final round robin games against Nunavut in order to reach the double knock-out round. Balshaw’s 11-3 win gave the Thistle/Fort Rouge team a 3W-3L record while Andersons’ 10-3 win gave the Gimli team a 4W-2L record.

The Manitoba Women handed the previously undefeated BC team their first losses of the event, blasting them 9-1 in six ends. The Manitoba Men were 7-3 winners over Ontario.

At 10AM Manitoba’s men will play previously unbeaten Alberta with the winner advancing to the medal round. The other A-qualifier has BC playing Saskatchewan.

At 1:30PM Manitoba’s women will play New Brunswick in their A-side qualifying game. The other A-qualifying game has Ontario playing Quebec.

The losers will drop into B-side qualifying games.