CORNER BROOK, N.L. - Defending champion Kelsey Rocque of Alberta opened the Canadian junior curling championships on Saturday with a 14-5 victory over Bailey Horte of the Yukon.

B.C.'s Corryn Brown needed an extra end to shade Prince Edward Island's Veronica Smith 9-8 and Manitoba's Beth Peterson scored three in the ninth end of an 8-7 win over Northern Ontario's Krysta Burns.

Mary Fay of Nova Scotia topped Carina McKay-Saturnino of the Northwest Territories 8-3 and Ontario's Chelsea Brandwood defeated Nunavut's Sadie Pinksen 11-3.

In men's play, Quebec's Felix Asselin scored six in the eighth end of a 9-6 win over B.C.'s Paul Henderson and Ontario's Mac Calwell beat Nunavut's Kane Komaksuitiksak 16-3.

Nova Scotia's Matthew Manuel topped Newfoundland and Labrador's Greg Smith 8-2 in the other Draw 1 matchup.

Round-robin games continue later Saturday at the Corner Brook Civic Centre and the Corner Brook Curling Club.