Stunner in Opening Draw of Canadian Seniors

Nova Scotia’s Nancy Delahunt, with Colleen Jones throwing last stones, was upset 10-9 by Northern Ontario’s Darla Esch in a stunning finish to their game in Draw 1 of the 2012 Canadian Senior Curling Championships in Abbotsford, BC. Delahunt, of Halifax’s Mayflower Curling Club, was comfortably ahead throughout the game and led 9-6 without the hammer playing the final end. Jones had to make a double takeout with her final stone to keep the North Bay skip to three and a tie but, she jammed and left Esch a simple draw to the house for a score of four in an upset win. In other first round games, BC’s Penny Shantz executed a spectacular takeout with her final stone to count two edging defending champion Heidi Hanlon of New Brunswick 7-6. Hanlon had made a wonderful draw to the button leaving it half exposed but right in front of a BC stone. Shantz ticked it far enough to score the winning deuce. In other action, Alberta’s Cathy King scored four in the 1st end coasting to a 9-3 win over PEI’s Shirley Berry. Newfoundland & Labrador’s Cathy Cunningham scored in every end in a 15-0 romp over Ann McKellar-Gillis of the Yellowknife CC. First time competitors in the seniors, Saskatchewan’s Darlene Gillies and Ontario’s Nancy Harrison were also first round winners. Unity’s Gillies defeated Quebec’s Odette Trudel 7-6, and Burlington’s Harrison stopped Manitoba’s Laurie Deprez 5-2. Play continues at the Abbotsford Recreation Centre all week with the championships finals for both men and women scheduled for Sunday, March 26 at 2:00 pm Eastern. For end by end results, visit www.curling.ca/championships/seniors/scores-and-standings Results of games already played, visit www.curling.ca/championships/seniors/scores-and-standings/draw-by-draw-reports Host Committee web site, visit www.canadianseniors2012.com