Team B.C. has dropped out of the lead at the Canadian wheelchair curling championships in Boucherville, Que.
A 7-3 loss to Thursday afternoon to Chris Rees of Ontario left B.C. skip Gerry Austgarden of Kelowna with a 5-2 record, tied for second place with Dennis Thiessen of Manitoba. Rees scored three in the fifth end to take a 5-2 lead over B.C.
The B.C. team, which also includes third Darryl Neighbour of Richmond, second Frank LaBounty of Prince George and lead Allison Duddy of Quesnel, started out Thursday morning with a 9-8 win over Joanne MacDonald of Newfoundland and Labrador. Austgarden picked up two in the eighth and one in the ninth to cinch the win.
That sets up a first-place battle today in the morning draw between B.C. and the Quebec rink skipped by Benoit Lessard. Lessard sits alone in first with a 6-1 record.
B.C. wraps up its round-robin play this afternoon against Michael Fitzgerald of New Brunswick.
Playoffs begin tonight and the final is set for Sunday.
For updated results go to curling.ca.
