It's a winning beginning for a pair of North Okanagan curlers at the 2025 Safetek Profire B.C. U18 Girls Curling Championships at the Kimberley Curling Club.

Skip Ava Arnt of Vernon, supported by Ivy Jensen of Vernon at second, and Kamloops sisters Bethany Evans (third) and Alicia Evans (lead) defeated the Danielle Monteith rink of Salmon Arm, Armstrong, and Kamloops by a score of 7-3 in the opening draw Thursday, Dec. 19.

Arnt made a spectacular double take-out with her first stone in the eighth and final end against a plethora of Monteith stones to secure handshakes.

Armstrong's Kyara O'Shea throws second stones for Monteith.

Both Arnt and Monteith return to the ice at 6 p.m. Pacific time Thursday for their second matches.

O'Shea's younger brother, Casey, throws lead stones for Matthew Miller of the Armstrong Curling Club, which dropped its opener on the U18 Boys draw Thursday. Miller, third Arel Ciccone, and second Zach Boudreau dropped a 7-4 decision to Nicholas White of Nanaimo.

Miller led 4-3 after five ends, but White responded by scoring two in the sixth, then stole a deuce in the seventh.

The Armstrong foursome is back in action Friday, Dec. 20, at 4 p.m. Pacific against Austin Tomlinson of Salmon Arm, who plays his first game of the provincials Friday at 12 p.m.

There are 12 boys teams and seven girls teams competing for the right to represent B.C. at the Canadian U18 championships in February in Saskatoon.