UPDATE: SUNDAY, OCT. 2, 12:05 P.M.
It took extra time and an extra end for Ikue Kitazawa to grab the final semifinal spot at the Prestige Hotels and Resorts Curling Classic at the Vernon Curling Club.
Kitazawa forced an extra end with a deuce in the eighth and final regulation end, then stole the winning point to beat countrywoman Satsuki Fujisawa 7-6.
The win avenged a pair of losses to Fujisawa in the Japan Curling Championships in May for Kitazawa, who now faces Edmonton91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s Jesse Hunkin in a women91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s semifinal that was slated to start at 12 p.m.
The playoffs are set at the Prestige Hotels and Resorts Curling Classic at the Vernon Curling Club.
The women91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s and men91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s quarterfinals will kick things off Sunday, Oct. 2, at 9 a.m.
On the women91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s side, Satsuki Fujisawa will face Ikue Kitazawa in an all-Japan matchup. The winner advances to face Jessie Hunkin of Edmonton in the semifinals at 12 p.m.
The other women91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s quarterfinal saw Korea91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s Eun Ji Gim rally from a 3-2 deficit by scoring three in the fourth, then stealing deuces in the sixth and seventh ends for a 9-3 victory over Kayla Skrlik of Calgary.
Gim now plays Corryn Brown of Kamloops in the other women91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s semi.
On the men91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s side, an all-B.C. quarterfinal went to kelowna91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s Brent Pierce, who scored three in the fifth to help put away Sebastien Robillard of Port Coquitlam 8-5. Pierce now faces Riku Yanagisawa of Japan in a 12 p.m. semifinal.
Japan91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s Kohsuke Hirata is playing New Westminster91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s Sean Geall in the other final four matchup. Geal scored three in the final end with hammer to defeat Cameron de Jong91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s Penticton/Vernon rink 6-4 in a Sunday morning quarterfinal.
The de Jong foursome includes Matt Tolley of Penticton at third, and the all-Vernon front end of Erik Colwell at second and John Slattery playing lead.
The championship games in both draws will be at 4 p.m. Sunday.
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
Like us on and follow us on .
