Hope, Berry win P.E.I. masters' curling championships

The Bill Hope-skipped rink from the Cornwall Curling Club won the provincial men’s masters curling championship for curlers aged 60 and over. The team defeated Lou Nowlan 8-6 in the title-clinching game at the Montague Curling Club on Monday. Members of the winning rink are, from left, Hope, third stone Peter Murdoch, second stone David Murphy and lead Dario Zannier. - Contributed

MONTAGUE, P.E.I. — The Bill Hope and Shirley Berry rinks won the P.E.I. masters curling championships for curlers aged 60 and over at the Montague Curling Club on Monday.

Hope and his Cornwall Curling Club rink of third stone Peter Murdoch, second stone David Murphy, and lead Dario Zannier posted a title-clinching 8-6 come-from-behind victory over the Lou Nowlan team, which held a 6-4 lead after five ends.

Hope’s victory ended the 10-year winning streak of Nowlan, who has won 15 masters' titles overall.

Hope won two of the modified triple-knockout sections. He only needed one win Monday, while Nowlan, who won the other section, would have needed to win both championship round games.

The Shirley Berry rink edged the Sandy Hope team 8-7 to win the P.E.I. masters women’s curling championship for curlers aged 60 and over at the Montague Curling Club on Monday. Members of the winning rink are, from left, Berry, third stone Karen Currie, second stone Gloria Turner and lead Linda Fairhurst. The Berry and Hope rinks curl out of the Cornwall Curling Club. - Contributed

Comeback win

The Berry team trailed the Sandy Hope rink 6-2 after five ends of play before scoring five points in the sixth end to take a 7-6 lead. Berry then stole a single in the seventh end and limited the Hope squad to a single in the eighth end to win the deciding game between the two Cornwall Curling Club rinks 8-7.

Berry won her fourth provincial masters' championship, while Hope skipped the winning team the last five years.