Two local teams have headed down to Parksville to compete in the B.C. Men's Championships, the winner of which gets to represent the province at the Tim Horton's Briers, which is Canada's national curling tournament.

The two teams, skipped by Kimberley resident Tom Buchy and Cranbrookian Tom Shypitka, are representing the Kootenay zone after winning their playdowns last December.

In the first draw on Wednesday morning, Shypitka dropped a 10-5 decision to Steve Waatainen out of the Nanaimo Curling Club.

Waatainen, holding the hammer, blanked the first end and deuced in the second, sixth and tenth ends, adding a triple in the eighth and a single in the fourth to total ten points.

Shypitka's team responded with a deuce in the third end, and singled in the fifth, seventh and ninth ends.

Buchy's first game occurred in the afternoon draw, winning a tight game in an extra end with a 6-5 score.

Buchy's opponent in Jody Epp, out of the Victoria Curling Club, opened with the hammer and singled in the first end.

However, Buchy answered back with a single, and stealing two more over the next two ends.

Epp notched another single in the fifth end to cut down the deficit, but Buchy increased his lead, blanking the sixth and scoring another single in the seventh and ninth ends.

Epp singled in the eighth end and managed to score a deuce in the tenth to tie the game at 5-5, necessitating an extra end to render a final decision, which Buchy took by singling out at the end.

Buchy also played in the evening draw on Wednesday in another tight game requiring an extra end for a final decision, which went 8-7 the other way to Brent Pierce, out of the Royal City Curling Club in New Westminster.

Buchy opened with the hammer and deuced in the first, fifth and ninth ends, singling in the seventh along the way.

Pierce responded with a single in the third end, and deuces in the sixth, eighth and tenth ends to tie up the game at seven. Pierce broke the tie in the eleventh end with a single to earn the 8-7 victory.

Shypitka's evening draw ended up in a close 7-6 decision over Brian Windsor of the Kamloops Curling Club.

Shypitka singled in the first, third, seventh and eleventh ends, while stealing away a point in the third and deucing in the ninth end.

Windsor answered by singling in the second, fifth and eighth ends, with a steal of his own in the sixth end, and a deuce in the tenth end to tie up the game at 6-6.

Buchy continued the extra ends trend on Thursday, dropping a close 10-9 final to Darren Heath out of the Vernon Curling Club.

Heath deuced in the first, fifth, seventh and ninth ends, while singling in the third to tally nine points after ten ends.

Buchy responded with a triple in the second end and deuces in the fourth and eight ends, with singles in the sixth and tenth.

But Heath walked away with the win in the eleventh end by singling and taking the game a 10-9.

The Buchy rink took on Shypitka's first opponent in Waatainen in the afternoon draw, pulling out a 8-6 win.

Buchy opened with a deuce and notched another one in the third, stealing a single in the second and scoring once in the fifth, eighth and tenth ends.

Waatainen responded with a huge fourth end, scoring four points, but only potted singles in the seventh and ninth ends.

Shypitka got back into action in the afternoon as well, dropping a 10-6 decision to Jay Peachey of the Royal City Curling Club.

Peachey blanked the first end, tripling in the second and sixth ends, while deucing in the fourth and eighth ends.

Shypitka managed deuces in the fifth and seventh ends, along with singles in the third and ninth ends.

Shypitka followed with another loss in the evening, dropping a 9-6 game to Sean Geall, out of Delta.

Shypitka took a single in the first, seventh and ninth ends and a triple in the fifth.

Geall answered with a deuce in the second and fourth ends, with singles in the sixth and eight ends and a damaging steal of three in the third end.

The Buchy rink is comprised of Ken McHargue as third, Dave Toffolo as second and Darren Will as lead, while the Shypitka rink features Josh Firman as third, Steve Tersmette as second and Greg Terrill as lead.