Curling

Top seeds Jeff Stoughton and Kelly Scott are one win away from securing berths to Canada's Olympic curling trials, and No. 2 seed Sherry Middaugh is still alive after earning her first win Tuesday at the Road to the Roar.

Stoughton, a former world champion and two-time Brier champion, is set to play No. 10 seed Pat Simmons of Davidson, Sask., in the first of four men's finals on Thursday in Prince George, B.C.

The first women's final will see Scott, the 2007 world champion, square off against Calgary's Crystal Webster, the tournament's seventh seed. 

All four teams are undefeated after two days of action at the pre-Olympic qualifier, which will see the top four men's and women's teams qualify for next month's Roar of the Rings in Edmonton.

Middaugh, who has already suffered two losses in the triple knock-out tournament, staved off early elimination with her first win Tuesday night, a 10-4 victory over Michelle Englot of Regina.

It was the third loss for Englot, the fourth seed, and eliminates her from the tournament. 

Middaugh, of Coldwater, Ont., is now 1-2 and one loss away from elimination. She lost her second game of the tournament earlier Tuesday, dropping an 8-5 decision to Marie-France Larouche and her team from St-Romuald, Que.    

Also keeping her team alive was Calgary's Heather Rankin, who moved to a record of 1-2 with a 7-3 win over Montreal's Eve Belisle.

The tournament's 11th seed, Belisle is eliminated from the tournament with an 0-3 record.  

Stoughton moved to 2-0 on Tuesday with a 4-2 win over fellow Winnipegger Mike McEwen, the fourth seed, who is now 1-1. 

Simmons earned his trip to the final later Tuesday with a 12-7 win over reigning Olympic champion Brad Gushue of St. John's, Nfld.

Gushue conceded after eight ends, the last of which saw Simmons score four points to take a commanding lead. Simmons is now 3-0, while Gushue is 1-1.

Earlier in the day, Scott maintained her undefeated record with a slim 9-8 victory over former Olympic trials runner-up Sherry Anderson of Saskatoon.

Scott, of Kelowna, B.C., was down 8-7 heading into the 10th and final end, but had the hammer and scored two points to secure the win. Anderson is now 2-1.

Webster earned her third straight victory on Tuesday with an 8-6 win over Rachel Homan. Team Homan, of Ottawa, was previously undefeated.  

During the afternoon draw Tuesday, Joel Jordison of Moose Jaw, Sask., Kerry Burtnyk of Winnipeg, Greg McAulay of Richmond, B.C., and Beausejour, Manitoba's Jason Gunnlaugson all lost for the second time and are now within one loss of elimination.

Bob Ursel of Kelowna, B.C. earned his second win to move to 2-1 with an 8-3 victory over Burtnyk. Ursel, the tournament's ninth seed, put up two straight two-points ends to open the game, and Burtnyk conceded after the 9th end.

No. 2 seed Wayne Middaugh picked up his first win after an opening round loss on Monday, beating McAulay 11-6. Middaugh, a two-time world and Brier champion, put up four points in the final end to earn the win.

Also earning his first win was Jean-Michael Menard of St-Romuald, Que., who edged Jordison 9-6. The game was tied heading into the ninth end, when Menard scored three points to take the lead and the game.

Jordison and Gunnlaugson are now 0-2, with Gunnlaugson dropping his second game to Edmonton's Ted Appleman, 10-8. Gunnlaugson tied it up 8-8 in the eighth end, but Appleman scored two points in the ninth. 

On the women's side in the morning draw, Krista McCarville of Thunder Bay, Ont., took her rink to a 6-5 win over the Calgary-based rink of Heather Rankin. Rankin tied the match in the eighth end, with McCarville scoring the deciding point in the tenth.

Cathy King of Edmonton improved her record to 2-1 with a 6-5 victory over the Michelle Englot rink from Regina. King took the lead in the seventh end, adding a steal of one point in the eighth.

The Amber Holland rink of Kronau, Sask., beat Belisle 8-5 for their first win of the tournament. Belisle scored two in the eighth to tie the match, but Holland took the win by scoring two in the ninth end and a steal of one in the tenth.