Curling: Hepburn and Smith bow out in last eight of Perth Masters

Ross HEPBURN fared best of the Capital curlers at the Perth Masters yesterday but failed to go further than the quarter- finals.

Hepburn played the opening stones for local skip David Smith who won two sudden-death matches on Saturday to reach the last eight where they lost 7-2 to Canadian Brad Gushue. Colin Campbell also played ‘lead’ for Aberdeen’s David Edwards, but the 2006 winner bowed out unexpectedly to Perth youngster Kyle Smith. Murrayfield’s John Hamilton and Edinburgh student Colin Dick also exited well before yesterday’s knockout stages.

Mike McEwen, from Winnipeg in Canada, repeated his 2011 victory after beating European champion Thomas Ulsrud of Norway 6-2 in last night’s final.