Four Manitoba-based curling rinks have a one-in-eight chance to represent Canada at the Sochi Olympics by winning The Roar of the Rings. But as the favorites on the guys’ side found out last night, the road to Olympic glory will be difficult.

Hometown hero Jeff Stoughton got off to a tough start against the current Brier champion Brad Jacobs. Jacobs built up a 4-1 lead through five ends and never looked back. Stoughton lost 7-4.

“We didn’t make a tough shot, and we did make one decent shot, and that was a double,” said Stoughton. “Other than that, we didn’t get much pressure on him, but we didn’t do much wrong. So, not great, not bad. Of course, we’d like to win the first game than lose it, but we’re not going to hang our heads. You can’t in this event. So, we’ll plug away tomorrow.”

Jacobs praised his team for making the win possible. “We were able to go out there and take the crowd out a bit, which was huge, and I think getting the hammer early was big,” he said.

“It feels like the guys played great in front of me and I just had to make a bunch of peels. So, it’s a good first win.”

Over on sheet 'A,' a tight, low-scoring affair between Winnipegger Mike McEwen and Kevin Martin was blown wide open when the defending Olympic champion scored three in the seventh end. McEwen lost game one 5-3.

“The way it was going, it should have come down to last rock, each team battling for a little bit of an advantage,” said McEwen.

John Epping bumped off Kevin Koe 9-8. And, feeding off the pre-trials momentum, John Morris and team Cotter threw haymakers with Glenn Howard, and survived, beating the former world champ, 8-6.

“I’m just really proud of the guys. That was a really intense first match of the trials,” said Morris.

Of course, the competition on the women’s side was intense, as well.

A pair of Manitoba based rinks went head to head to open the Roar of the Rings, with Chelsea Carey taking on Jennifer Jones. Kristy McDonald was sick with the flu, so fifth Breanne Meakin had to step in and play third for Team Carey. The former junior champ helped her team grab a 1-0 lead in the second end.

From there, however, it was a blow out. Team Jones shots the lights out, highlighted by a spectacular pick out by the St. Vital skipper for in the sixth end.

Jones’ team scored a whopping six points. That led to 10-2 win and early handshakes.

The women's field has some clear-cut favorites, but Team Jones wasn't the only team to score a convincing win.

Saskatchewan's Stefanie Lawton and Ontario's Sherry Middaugh played defensive, blanking four ends. The prairie girls kept it close, but fell 5-3.

“It’s definitely not the start we wanted, but you know what? We got a good feel for the ice, and we were making some great shots at the end of the game,” said Lawton.

Coming off the pre-trials, Val Sweeting's young Edmonton rink wasn't given much of a chance, but they served notice they are ready to play upsetting Canadian champ Rachel Homan, 10-3.

“We went into the game knowing that we’re going to learn the ice, and it’s going to be a long week and a long grind, and we learned a lot out there. It might not look like it but we did. And the other team played really well,” said Homan. “The team played really well, and we’re going to come out strong the next game.”

“Everybody likes a good underdog, so if that’s us, that’s totally fine with me,” said Sweeting.

It was a tough day for the last couple Scotties champs, as Heather Nedohin was beaten by fellow Albertan, Renee Sonnenberg, 8-6.

- With a report by Kevin Olszewski