It wasn’t exactly the start they wanted, but the Olympic dream is still alive for Timmins’ Tyler Stewart.

He and teammate/wife Nicole Westlund-Stewart dropped their first three draws at the “Canad Inns” mixed doubles Olympic curling trials in Day 1 of action in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba Tuesday.

They conceded first game 7-4 loss in seven ends to the number three ranked Kalynn Park (Edmonton, AB) and Charley Thomas (Calgary, AB).

Later on, they fell 6-5 to the 18th ranked duo of Sherry Middaugh (Victoria Harbour, ON) and John Epping (Toronto, ON). Their final game was a tough 7-3 defeat to the second ranked Chelsea Carey (Calgary, AB) and Colin Hodgson (Winnipeg, MB).

The action continues on Day 2 for the field. The Stewarts will face seventh ranked Geoff Walker (St. John’s, NFLD) and Laura Crocker (Edmonton, AB) at 11:45am Wednesday morning.

The Stewarts came into the tournament ranked 14th in the 18-team field.

The pairing were 8th in all of Canada in the Canadian mixed doubles rankings as of December 19, 2017.

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