World champion Gushue begins Champions Cup with win over Japan’s Morozumi

CALGARY — Brad Gushue began the Champions Cup curling tournament on Tuesday with a 9-4 victory over Japan’s Yusuke Morozumi in the first and only draw of the day.

The skip from St. John’s, N.L., who won the Brier title and men’s world championship this year, scored three in the second end and four in the fourth to seal the win in the opening match of the final stop on the Grand Slam of Curling circuit.

Gushue and Morozumi shook hands before the eighth end.

In other men’s action, Calgary’s Kevin Koe topped Greg Balsdon of Kingston, Ont., 6-4.

On the women’s side, Allison Flaxey of Caledon, Ont., scored a deuce in an extra end to edge Sweden’s Isabella Wrana 8-6, Casey Scheidegger of Lethbridge, Alta., beat Russia’s Victoria Moiseeva 7-4 and Kerri Einarson of Winnipeg prevailed over Edmonton’s Val Sweeting 7-4.

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