THE CANADIAN PRESS
WINDSOR, Ont. — Wayne Middaugh’s strong start to the curling season seems to have hit a snag.
The Toronto native fell to 1-2 at the Grey Power World Cup of Curling after being upset 6-3 by Rob Fowler’s rink on Thursday afternoon.
Middaugh’s rough start to the first Grand Slam event of the season comes after the two-time world champion finished a strong second to Olympic champion Kevin Martin at last week’s Cactus Pheasant Classic in Brooks, Alta.
"It’s typical curling," Middaugh said. "We were good last week and we haven’t been as good this week, and all the teams against us are making the basic shots and we’re not."
Middaugh had taken provincial rival Glenn Howard to the last stone of Wednesday’s first draw before losing, then rebounded with a 5-3 win Thursday morning over Norway’s Thomas Ulsrud.
He couldn’t build on that momentum, however, as Fowler built up a 6-1 win over six ends. Middaugh scored two in the seventh but, with the hammer reverting to Fowler for the eighth and final end, decided to shake hands.
"If anything we’re probably getting a little burned out," Middaugh said. "For me this is five weeks in a row, and that’s just crazy."
Fowler, who has returned as skip after playing second for Winnipeg’s Jeff Stoughton and Kerry Burtnyk over the previous seven years, grabbed three the first end and stole the third take for a 4-0 lead. He also stole the sixth end to take a 6-1 lead.
"We’re pretty happy with how things are going," said Fowler, from Brandon, Man. "We’re a new team and we’ve made the semis in two events so far, so a 12-4 record looks good."
Ulsrud’s Oslo foursome, famous for their colourful trousers at the Vancouver Olympics, debuted yet another pair of eye-popping pants Thursday: white trousers adorned with a design of hundreds of playing cards.
"I guess their last game wasn’t in the cards," Middaugh joked.
Ulsrud rebounded with a 5-4 victory over Howard in the late draw, leaving both teams at 2-1. Howard had earlier scored a 5-4 win over Bob Ursel of Kelowna, B.C., in which both teams ran low on time and the final end came down to a race against the clock.
In other action, Martin scored three wins on the day: 7-3 over Saskatchewan’s Pat Simmons, 6-5 over Winnipeg’s Mike McEwen and a 6-1 evening thrashing of Scotland’s David Murdoch. Martin lost to Murdoch in an extra-end final at the world championships in 2009.
Meanwhile, Winnipeg’s Stoughton defeated 2006 Olympic champion Brad Gushue on St. John’s, N.L.
The Newfoundland foursome, which includes Edmonton’s Randy Ferbey throwing third stones, had earlier wins over Winnipeg’s Kevin Park (5-1) and Jake Higgs of Harriston, Ont. (7-2).
Stoughton earlier escaped with an 8-6 comeback win over Dale Matchett of Bradford, Ont. before edging Higgs by 7-6 in an extra end.