Jamaican women break into playoffs at Pan Continental Curling Championship

LACOMBE, Alberta – In a thrilling showdown, the Jamaican women’s curling team secured their place in the championship playoff round at the Pan Continental Championship, overcoming the previously undefeated Philippines with a nail-biting 13-11 victory on Wednesday.

The Jamaican squad, consisting of Madeleine Spurgeon, Stephanie Chen, Margot Shepherd-Spurgeon, and Alexandra Marriott, showed resilience, sealing the game with a decisive two points in an extra end.

The action-packed match saw momentum shift repeatedly. After an early 2-0 deficit, Jamaica responded with three points in the second end, gradually building leads of 6-3 and later 8-5. Despite their strong play, the Philippines fought back, tying the game with a dramatic four-point surge in the 10th end. Remaining unfazed, the Jamaican team delivered two points in the extra end, ending the Philippines’ unbeaten run and solidifying Jamaica’s record at 4-2.

With one round-robin game left against Kenya, Jamaica is assured at least a fourth-place standing and a playoff spot. The playoff round, beginning Friday, includes top teams Australia, Kazakhstan, and the Philippines.

Men’s team update

Meanwhile, Jamaica’s men’s team, represented by Ian Robertson, Andrew Walker, Don Johnston, and Luke Samuels, stands at 6-2 in round-robin play, holding onto third place with two games remaining.

On Wednesday, they challenged the Philippines in a close 7-5 loss, battling back from a 4-2 deficit and keeping the match tight until the end. Later, they made a comeback to defeat Qatar 8-6, erasing an early 6-1 disadvantage to clinch victory in the final ends.

The Jamaican men face Nigeria on Thursday evening, with playoff qualification still within reach as they compete alongside top teams from the Philippines, Kazakhstan, Hong Kong, and India.