The playoff picture became clear at the Canadian mixed doubles curling championship Wednesday.
The duos of Laura Walker and Kirk Muyres, and Kadriana and Colton Lott, capped their preliminary rounds with 7-0 records to top their respective pools. They earned byes to Thursday evening’s quarterfinals.
Taylor Reese-Hansen and Corey Chester (6-1) and Paige Papley and Evan Van Amsterdam (5-2) also topped their pools to claim quarterfinal byes.
The remaining eight teams to advance from the field of 32 were determined by records and last-shot draws to break ties.
They included Madison Kleiter and Rylan Kleiter, Steve Laycock and Nancy Martin, Andrea Kelly and Tyler Tardi and Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant all at 5-2.
Jim Cotter and Jaelyn Cotter, Aaron and Amanda Sluchinski, Riley Sandham and Brendan Craig, and Lisa Weagle and John Epping all 4-3 also moved on to Thursday afternoon’s play-in round.
The husband-and-wife team of Brent Laing and Jennifer Jones, who have multiple Canadian and world titles between them in team curling, finished outside the playoffs with a 3-4 record.
Sunday’s winner represents Canada at the world mixed doubles championship April 20-27 in Ostersund, Sweden.
The national gold, silver and bronze medallists earn berths to Canada’s Olympic trials Dec. 30, 2024, to Jan. 4, 2025, in Liverpool, N.S.
Peterman and Gallant are experienced domestically and internationally having won national mixed doubles titles in 2016 and 2019 and a world silver medal in 2019.
Walker and Muyres claimed a Canadian championship in 2018 and a bronze medal at the world championship that year.
The Lotts have twice been runner-up at the Canadian championship (2018, 2021).