Canada loses two tough ones at World Wheelchair Curling Championship

Canada’s quest for a playoff spot at the Kuntai Group World Wheelchair Curling Championship hit a bit of a snag Tuesday, with the team losing two roller-coaster games; to Norway and RCF respectively.

The back-and-forth losses bring Canada’s record to 3-4, good enough for seventh place in the twelve-team event in Beijing. With four games remaining, Canada hopes to move up at least one place, as the top six teams will reach the playoff round.

Canada faced Norway in the first draw of the day at Beijing’s Ice Cube arena. In a slight change to the lineup, alternate Collinda Joseph was listed at second, while Dennis Thiessen took a game off.

After an impressive Last Shot Draw result, Canada started the game with hammer, and quickly scored two. Norway responded with two, and Canada took yet another deuce in the third end. Norway managed single points in the fourth, fifth, and sixth ends to take a one-point lead.

After scoring two in the seventh, Canada held their own one-point lead. Fourth-stone thrower Jon Thurston had a shot to force Norway’s Ole Fredrik Syversen into a tough shot for the win, however, the draw came up short and Norway didn’t have to throw its last shot – scoring the two points they were already sitting.

In the following draw, facing representatives from the Russian Curling Federation, Canada returned to the original lineup, with Thiessen playing at second, Mark Ideson skipping and throwing lead rocks, and Ina Forrest throwing third stones.

Again, Canada, coached by Mick Lizmore, started with hammer, but didn’t make great use of it, giving up a steal of one out of the gates. After a blank in the second, Canada evened the score in the third. RCF answered with a score of two, then a steal of three, taking a 6-1 lead into the sixth end.

Canada, however, would not go away quietly. They fought back to score four points in the sixth, and stole another in the seventh to tie the game again.

Their efforts to steal the win in the eighth were unsuccessful – RCF took three and the victory.

Canada will hope to rebound on Wednesday with games against South Korea and Slovakia; both tied for ninth place at the moment.

This story will be available in French as soon as possible at https://www.curling.ca/?lang=fr.

For more information about the 2021 World Wheelchair Curling Championship, including scores, schedules and team lineups, go to worldcurling.org/events/wwhcc2021/