Jennifer Jones and Kelly Scott will head into the 2010 Scotties Tournament of Hearts as co-favourites as qualifying for the women’s national curling championship wrapped up Sunday around the country.

Scott, from Kelowna, B.C., captured the British Columbia title, doubling up Kelly Law 8-4 in the final in Penticton. The 2006 and ’07 Canadian champion scored three with the hammer in the third and followed that up with steals of two and one to take a 6-2 lead into the break against Law’s foursome from New Westminster.

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Jason Gunnlaugson from Beaséjour, Manitoba and his young foursome will be gunning it out at the Canadian Olympic Trials with the elite of Canadian men’s curling. Gunnlaugson showed incredible patience throughout the “C” qualifier at the Olympic Pre-trials and scored one with hammer in an extra-end to defeat fellow Manitoban Mike McEwen 8-7. Both Gunnlaugson and McEwen’s teams were outstanding in an entertaining game. These two talented young teams could lead the assault of reclaiming the capital of men’s curling from Alberta back to Manitoba in the next few years.

The eighth and final spot in the Olympic Trials is available Saturday evening in a clash between Bob Ursel and Wayne Middaugh.  Middaugh advanced to the “C” qualifier with an 8-7 win over Jean-Michel Ménard. The winner will join Kevin Martin, Glenn Howard, Kevin Koe, Randy Ferbey, Jeff Stoughton, Pat Simmons and Jason Gunnlaugson in Edmonton from December 6 to 13.

Crystal Webster of Calgary held on to win 9-7 over Kelly Scott of Kelowna in the women’s “A” Final at the Canadian Olympic Pre-Trials in Prince George. On the men’s side, Winnipeg’s Jeff Stoughton drew the four-foot with last rock in an extra-end defeating Pat Simmons of Moose Jaw 8-7. Both Webster and Stoughton advance to the Canadian Olympic Trials in Edmonton in December.

Junior Regional qualifiers from playdowns taking place November 28 to December 1, 2008.

• Junior Women’s Region 1 & 2
  • Erin Bartlett
• Junior Men’s Region 1 & 2
  • Joe Ferguson
• Junior Women’s Region 3, 4 & 7
  • A: Alyssa Kyllo
  • B: Jennifer Gerow
• Junior Men’s Region 3, 4 & 7
  • A: Josh Durand
  • B: Jonathan Gardner
• Junior Women’s Coastal
  • A: Dailene Sivertson
  • B: Kelly Thompson
  • C: Jackie Korn
  • C: Kelly Shimizu
• Junior Men’s Coastal
  • A: Bryan Kedziora
  • B: Steven Kopf
  • B: Stuart Merrifield
  • C: Ryan Bogle

Kerry Burtnyk’s new rink is now fully Manitoban.

Don Walchuk, the new third, has established residency in the Keystone Province before the Nov. 1 deadline and is therefore eligible to compete with Burtnyk and company during the Safeway provincial curling championship.

Burtnyk, who represented Manitoba at the Brier last March, made the announcement during an interview following a press conference for the BDO Classic Canadian Open at the MTS Centre yesterday.

Full story | Winnipeg Sun