Something to yodel about

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This article was published 03/10/2011 (5398 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Brad Gushue’s new-look rink navigated a tough international field to win its first Asham World Curling Tour bonspiel of the season on Sunday.

The skip from St. John’s beat Sweden’s Niklas Edin and Scotland’s Tom Brewster on the way to the final at the Swiss Basel Cup in Switzerland. He beat former Swiss junior champion Peter de Cruz 4-3 for the title.

Playing with a team that includes Ryan Fry, moving from second to third, and newcomers Geoff Walker (second) and Adam Casey (lead), Gushue built a 3-0 lead over de Cruz in the first two ends.

After a pair of blank ends, Gushue held de Cruz to one in the fifth. The Canadian restored his three-point lead in the sixth and a late rally by de Cruz — singles in the final two ends — came up short.

Winnipeg’s Jeff Stoughton, the only other Canadian in the field, lost 7-4 to de Cruz in a semifinal.

In women’s action, Shannon Kleibrink picked up her first win of the season, defeating Lisa Eyamie in an all-Calgary final at the Twin Anchors Invitational in Vernon, B.C.

Kleibrink stole four in the first and took an 8-1 lead into the fourth-end break. She didn’t look back in the 8-3 win in five ends.

Kleibrink beat WCT money leader Liudmilla Privivkova of Russia 6-2 in the semifinals. Eyamie defeated Edmonton’s Val Sweeting 7-2.

On the men’s side in Vernon, Kevin Koe and Robert Schlender, both of Edmonton, have clinched berths in today’s semifinals.

Trevor Perepolkin of Vernon and Russia’s Alexey Tselousov are into the quarter-finals along with Brent Pierce of New Westminster, B.C., and Jim Cotter of Vernon.

Meanwhile, Scott Bitz of Regina is into the quarter-finals at his hometown Horizon Laser Vision Center Classic. Mat Lang of Saskatoon also made it to today’s eight-team playoff through the A-side.

Randy Bryden and Al Schick, both of Regina, made the quarters through the B-side. The final four spots were on the line in Sunday’s late draw.

— Postmedia News