McEwen Wins ATB Okotoks

Mike McEwen (Saskatoon, SK) secured a 5-2 win over John Shuster (Duluth, MN) in the Championship Final of the ATB Okotoks Classic. Hosted by the Okotoks Curling Club in Okotoks, Alberta, the event featured a 24-team triple knockout format. McEwen, supported by teammates Colton Flasch at third, and Kevin Marsh and Daniel Marsh on the front end, claimed the 41.25 world ranking points for winning the weekend. Shuster earned 30.25 world ranking points for his second-place finish. McEwen, starting with hammer, blanked the first end and got on the scoreboard with two points in the second end. McEwen caught a break in the third end, stealing two more points to lead 4-0. After blanking the fourth and fifth ends, Shuster got on the scoreboard with a single point in the sixth and added a steal in the seventh, reducing the deficit to 4-2. McEwen closed out the match by scoring a single in the eighth to secure the 5-2 victory. In the semifinals, McEwen defeated Switzerland's Michael Brunner 4-2, while Shuster overcame Duluth's Korey Dropkin 7-4. Brunner and Dropkin each earned 23.375 world ranking points for their semifinal finishes. In the quarterfinals, McEwen edged out Japan's Takumi Maeda 6-5, Brunner surprised Calgary-baed Brad Jacobs 5-3, Dropkin dominated Saskatoon's Rylan Kleiter 9-1, and Shuster blanked Japan's Yusuke Morozumi 6-0. McEwen finished the 24-team triple knockout qualifying round with a perfect 3-0 record, qualifying for the playoffs through the A-event bracket. McEwen defeated Elliott Mansell (Denver, CO) 6-2 in their opener, followed by a 7-3 win over Maeda, and a narrow 5-4 victory over Brunner in the final qualifying match.