Edmonton’s Kevin Martin iced Winnipeg’s Mike McEwan 5-2 to defend his Westcoast Curling Classic title Monday at the Royal City Curling Club in New Westminster.
Martin, whose rink – third John Morris, second Marc Kennedy and lead Ben Hebert – won gold at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, pocketed $17,000 for the win, the sixth time he has won the New Westminster spiel.
McEwan, backed by third B.J. Neufeld second Matt Wozniak and lead Denni Neufeld, took home $11,000.
After grounding Saskatoon’s Steve Laycock 7-3 to earn a B qualifier spot Sunday, Vernon’s Jim Cotter fell 7-4 to Edmonton’s Randy Ferbey in a Monday morning quarterfinal.
Tied 4-4 after six ends, Ferbey cracked a three-ender in the seventh to secure the win.
Cotter, who collected $5,250, is pleased with how his rink is gelling with the addition of second Tyrell Griffith. With Cotter moving up to skip, Kevin Folk is at third and Rick Sawatsky is lead.
“The guys are playing well and we’re happy with where we’re at,” said Cotter, a semifinalist at the recent Twin Anchors Classic at the Vernon Curling Club. “With a new team and new positions, there’s always little things to work out.”
In other quarterfinal play, McEwen shut out Edmonton’s Kevin Koe 6-0, Martin stuffed Laycock 9-1 and Rosetown, Sask.’s Carl deConinck Smith outlasted New Westminster’s Brent Pierce 5-4.
