Canadian mixed doubles curling nationals down to final 8 teams

The Canadian mixed doubles curling championship quarterfinal matchups were set after play-in games Thursday in Fredericton.

Nancy Martin and Steve Laycock, Ryan and Madison Kleiter, Aaron and Amanda Sluchinski and Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant all advanced after victories in the play-in round Thursday morning.

The duos of Laura Walker and Kirk Muyres, Kadriana and Colton Lott, Taylor Reese-Hansen and Corey Chester and Paige Papley and Evan Van Amsterdam earned byes to the quarterfinals by finishing first in their respective pools.

Martin and Laycock were to face the Lotts, the Kleiters moved on to meet Reese-Hansen and Chester, the Sluchinskis were to take on Walker and Muyres, and Peterman and Gallant had a showdown with Papley and Van Amsterdam.

Watch That Curling Show live from Sydney, N.S., Friday at 5 p.m. ET and Sunday immediately after Canada's final draw on the CBC Sports YouTube channel.

The winners of Thursday afternoon's quarterfinals punch their tickets to Friday's semifinals with the medal games to follow later in the day.

The top three teams at the national championships gain berths to the Olympic trials starting later this year in Liverpool, N.S.

The winner represents Canada at next month's world championship in Ostersund, Sweden.

Laycock and Martin defeated Lisa Weagle and John Epping 8-6 on Thursday morning.

The Kleiters beat Jim and Jaelyn Cotter 7-3. The Sluchinskis got past Andrea Kelly and Tyler Tardi 6-4 while Peterman and Brett Gallant edged Riley Sandham and Brendan Craig 7-6 in an extra end.