By Canadian Press

Italian skip Joel Retornaz rolls into National quarterfinals

Nov 10, 2023 | 5:23 PM

PICTOU, N.S. — Italy’s Joel Retornaz continued his impressive play on the Grand Slam of Curling circuit with a 7-4 win over Switzerland’s Yannick Schwaller on Friday at the Kioti National.

Retornaz’s team broke open a close game with four points in the seventh end to finish round-robin play atop the men’s standings at 4-0.

Retornaz, who won the men’s title at the season-opening HearingLife Tour Challenge last month in Niagara Falls, Ont., faces American Korey Dropkin in Saturday’s quarterfinals.

Dropkin fell 9-4 to Scotland’s James Craik in the men’s final draw. Both teams were among seven that finished tied at 2-2. Dropkin and Craik moved on, however, based on draw-to-the-button shootout scores. 

Schwaller fell to 3-1 and will face Craik in the quarterfinals.

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Elsewhere in Draw 15 scores, Calgary’s Kevin Koe defeated Scotland’s Team Bruce Mouat 7-6 in an extra end. Both teams finished at 2-2, but Mouat moved on despite loss because of his draw-to-the-button score, while Koe was eliminated.

Mouat will next face Sweden’s Niklas Edin in a quarterfinal matchup of recent world champions (Mouat this year, Edin the four previous championships).

The other quarterfinal pits Edmonton’s Brendan Bottcher against Scotland’s Ross Whyte.

The women’s playoff matchers were set to be decided after Friday’s late draw.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 10, 2023.

The Canadian Press