So far, so good for Vernon’s Jim Cotter at the $63,000 Prestige Hotels & Inns Curling Classic.
Cotter and his slightly altered rink (Vernon’s Ryan Kuhn replaced Albertan John Morris at third this season) were 2-0 heading into their Saturday afternoon A-Event tilt against Vancouver’s Ken McArdle. The winner of that earned a berth in the final six of the triple knockout tournament. Playoffs go Monday, with the semifinals at noon, followed by the final at 3 p.m.
The winner takes $7,500, with the second-place team earning $5,500. Third and fourth place finishers each collect $4,250.
Along with long-time front enders Rick Sawatsky and Tyrel Griffith, Cotter opened the 16-team men’s draw Friday afternoon with a 7-3 win over Vernon’s Peter Nielson. Leading 5-3 after six ends, Cotter delivered an open draw for two to earn an early exit to the lounge.
“It’s nice to get the early handshakes,” said Kuhn, who won the 2000 world junior men’s title alongside his brother Brad.
Cotter then counted triples in the first and fourth ends to double up Maple Ridge’s Grant Dezura 8-4 Friday night.
Asked what has been working for their rink so far, Kuhn replied: “It was a little bit of everything. Nothing was on the money but everything was pretty solid. We’re always looking to do better.”
Kuhn, 33, knows Cotter’s rink well, but has only teamed up with him once – in the Vernon cashspiel a few years ago. Cotter has asked Kuhn a number of times over the years to join their foursome, and this year the timing worked out.
“It’s been busy with work and life and other stuff,” said Kuhn, a Westjet pilot.
“It’s such a great group of guys. I’m just having a lot of fun. I love winning and they’re good at doing that.”
Kuhn said the experience Cotter, Sawatsky and Griffith gained last year is invaluable. With Morris, they were runners-up in both the Canadian Olympic Trials (lost to Brad Jacobs) and the 2014 Brier (lost to Kevin Koe).
“They have tons of experience,” said Kuhn. “I couldn’t ask for anything more. I feel very privileged to be asked and to be playing.”
Meanwhile, Japan’s Yusuke Morizumi took on Edmonton’s Brendan Bottcher in the other A qualifier Saturday.
Vernon’s Jamie Sexton (third James McKenzie, second Hugh Bennett, lead Rob Nobert) and Nielson (third Evan Brantter, second Kyle Duncan, lead David MacDonald) both fell to the C Bracket.
