HARBIN, China. — Team Philippines got off to a rousing start in the women’s curling team competition of the 9th Asian Winter Games here.
After helping the country wind up fourth in the mixed doubles event last Saturday, Kathleen Dubberstein led the squad in toppling Hong Kong 7-2 on Sunday at the Harbin Pingfang Curling Arena.
“It was really a good start. We just have to sustain it in our succeeding matches,” said Dubberstein, 30, who nearly claimed a historic medal for the Philippines with Filipino-Swiss Marc Pfister in the mixed doubles where they lost to host China in a tight battle for third.
Leilani Sumbillo and Sheila Mariano likewise delivered as they held Hong Kong scoreless in the first four ends while the national team gradually built a comfortable lead.
The Filipino curlers quickly solidified their grip 6-0 with Anne Bonache and Jennifer dela Fuente contributing as well, forcing Hong Kong to call it a day after the seventh end with one more frame remaining.
Peter Groseclose missed the cut in the quarterfinals of the men’s 1000m in short-track speed skating at the HIC Multifunctional Hall.
The 17-year-old Winter Youth Olympian placed third in his quarterfinal heat after clocking one minute and 28 seconds behind semifinal qualifiers Adil Galiakhmetov of Kazakhstan (1:27.43) and China’s Liu Shaoang (1:27.72).
Groseclose also missed out on a medal earlier in the 1500m and 500m.
Over at the Yabuli Alpine Skiing Slalom Stadium, Francis Ceccarelli was disqualified in his first run in the men’s slalom competition just a day after Filipino-American Tallulah Proulx’s 16th finish in the women’s slalom on Saturday.
He went out of the slalom line as he tried to speed up his maneuver down the snowy track.
“I wanted to be faster but I fumbled a bit. I did not want to give up and tried to finish,” Ceccarelli, 21, said. “I am so happy for the experience but I will be back.”
Figure skating starts Tuesday with Paolo Borromeo competing in the men’s short program while the pair of Isabella Gamez and Aleksander Korovin begins competing at 2 p.m. at the HIC Multifunctional Hall.
Sofia Frank and Cathryn Limketkai will begin their program in women’s short program at 1:30 p.m. at the same venue.
Freestyle skier Laetaz Amihan Rabe will compete in women’s freeski slopestyle also on Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. at the Freeski Slopestyle Stadium in Yabuli Ski Resort in Shangzhi, Harbin.
