LACOMBE, Alta. — Canada's Brad Gushue didn't take his foot off the gas at the Pan Continental curling championships Wednesday despite a playoff berth already locked in.
Gushue, vice-skip Mark Nichols, second Brendan Bottcher and lead Geoff Walker defeated Australia's Hugh Milliken 13-8 to stay undefeated at 6-0 with one game remaining in the preliminary round.
The top four teams in the men's and women's field qualify for the 2025 world curling championships, although Canada has an automatic berth in the men's championship in Moose Jaw, Sask., as the host country.
Meanwhile, Rachel Homan both secured a playoff spot and assured Canada a top-four finish in the Pan Continental women's field with an 8-2 win over South Korea's Eunji Gim 8-2.
A bonus for Gushue from St. John's, N.L., was South Korea's 5-4 win over China dropped the latter to a record of 4-2, which means Canada will have the top seed going into Thursday's semifinals and choice of stones throughout the playoffs.
"It’s always nice to go into the playoffs that way," said Gushue's coach Jeff Hoffart.
"We’ve got one more game tomorrow so that’s what we’re going to focus on now. Hopefully we can go in undefeated, but we’re going to give it our best tomorrow either way."
Gushue concludes the preliminary round Thursday morning versus China.
China's Xiaoming Xu, John Shuster of the U.S. (5-1) and Japan's Shinya Abe (4-2) will join Gushue in the final four at the Gary Moe Auto Sportsplex in Lacombe, Alta.
The U.S. downed Chinese Taipei 9-3 and Japan dominated New Zealand 9-1 in other men's games Wednesday afternoon.
The Canadians and Australians were tied 7-7 after six ends before Gushue scored four in the seventh.
Australia countered with a single, but shook hands after the ninth end when Gushue scored two on the strength of a raise double takeout.
Ottawa's Homan, vice Tracy Fleury, second Emma Miskew and lead Sarah Wilkes needed just six ends to finish off the South Koreans.
"I think we played a pretty solid game," Homan said. "I’m sure they’ll be stronger when we see them next.”
Canada (5-0) was to face Mexico's Adriana Camarena in Wednesday evening's draw.
Homan scored three points in the third end and tacked on three more in the fifth. Gim had a double-takeout to score three in the sixth end but was wide with her delivery and settled for one, prompting the concession.
Japan's Miyu Ueno (5-0) and South Korea (4-1) were also playoff-bound among women's teams.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 30, 2024.
The Canadian Press
