Brad Heidt on top of the leaderboard; NS loses 3-0!

Saskatchewan’s Brad Heidt won two games Sunday to run his record to 3-0 and in a three-way tie on top of the leaderboard at the World Financial Group Senior Men’s Championship in Digby, NS. Heidt survived a four count by PEI’s Bill Hope in the 8th end of the morning tilt to squeak by 9-7 and then thumped Ontario’s Guy Racette 7-4 in an evening match-up. Scott Saunders of Halifax, NS had an opportunity to join the leaders at 3-0, but he suffered the strangest of losses to Eric Hardnen of Northern Ontario. Harnden blanked the first five ends only to take one point in the 6th. Saunders, with the hammer, blanked the 7th but gave up consecutive steals in the the 8th and 9th ends to lose by the very unusual score of 3-0! Earlier in the day, Saunders grabbed a three ender in the 8th end to defeat Yukon/Northwest Territories George Hilderman 6-2 in Draw 2. Joining Heidt and the ranks of the unbeaten is Edmonton’s Brad Hannah who dropped Quebec’s Robbie Maclean 9-3 in the morning game and then defeated 2000 World Men’s champion Greg McAulay of Richmond, BC 9-5 after blowing an early 4-0 lead. Manitoba’s Kelly Robertson is the third team at 3-0. The rookie Winnipeg skip hit and stayed in the last end to edge Harnden 6-5 in Draw 3 and then made short work of Hilderman in Draw 4 with a pair of three enders and an 8-5 win. Joining Saunders one game back of the leaders is St. John’s, NL skipper Jeff Thomas (2-1 record) who stopped Ontario’s Racette 7-4 and then scored two in the 9th end, then stole a singleton in the last end to edge the hard luck PEI team 6-5. Rounding out the leaderboard are Hilderman (YT/NT), Racette (ON), McAulay (BC), Harnden (NO) and Maclean (QC) all at 1-2. Hope (PE) and NB’s Wade Blanchard are at 0-3. In the women’s section, Diane Foster, two-time Canadian champ and 2008 world senior champion made a spectacular double raise takeout using her opposition’s stones to score three in the 10th end stunning BC’s Lynne Noble 7-5. Foster is the only team to sport a perfect 3-0 record by virtue of this win coupled with an earlier drubbing of Quebec’s Odette Trudel 8-3. Six teams share second place at 2-1. Nova Scotia’s Nancy Delahunt (Colleen Jones throwing last stones) and Ontario’s Joyce Potter, the 2005 national senior champion both were dropped from the ranks of the unbeaten in the evening draw after earlier winning their first two games. Northern Ontario’s Barbara Ward (2-1) survived a 10th end measure to edge Delahunt 9-8 stopping a furious bluenose comeback and Potter surrendered three points in the 10th end to Saskatchewan’s Delores Syrota who improved her record to 2-1 to join NS and Ontario. PEI’s June Moyaert of Montague took three in the 10th and stole the extra end in defeating NL’s Laura Phillips moving her team to 2-1 and joining Heidi Hanlon’s New Brunswick’s foursome who stopped Noble 9-7 and Trudel 9-3 on Sunday. At one win and two losses are three teams: BC’s Noble, NT/YT’s Sandy Penkala – who won her first game over Manitoba’s Debbie Popovic 9-4 – and the Winnipeg foursome. Quebec’s Trudel and NL’s Phillips are both at 0-3. For full results, go to: www.curling.ca/championships/seniors/draw-schedule/