Canada falls to Japan in close game at world women’s

SANDVIKEN, Sweden — One end was the difference for Canada’s Team Kerri Einarson at the 2023 LGT World Women’s Curling Championship, presented by New Holland, on Thursday afternoon at Goeransson Arena.

Japan’s Team Satsuki Fujisawa (5-5) benefitted from a steal of two in the eighth end against Canada (6-4) to earn a 6-5 win against the Canadian team from Gimli, Man. With Japan sitting three, Canada needed to make an angle-raise for one. Canada’s throw didn’t get the anticipated curl and Japan stole two for a 5-3 lead.

Until that point, Canada controlled the scoreboard and had the hammer in the even ends, which would have been of great advantage in the 10th. Instead, skip Einarson, vice-skip Val Sweeting, second Shannon Birchard, lead Briane Harris, alternate Krysten Karwacki, coach Reid Carruthers and national coach Renée Sonnenberg had to score two in the ninth to tie the game, but gave up the hammer to Japan in the final end of play.

In the 10th, Canada had shot stone on the button with a centre guard up. On its first skip stone, Team Fujisawa came around the centre guard and tapped Canada’s counter off the pin and stayed shot. Canada’s Team Einarson attempted to tap back Japan’s rock on the in-turn side, but the throw curled too much and clipped the centre guard. 

“It was called up-weight so we carved [the rock]. It ended up being just fine for weight so it was just mismanaged. We put in a really solid ninth – and even an eighth – end so it’s just unfortunate that this happened,” Einarson said following the game.

Team Einarson started with momentum and controlled the pace of play. Canada forced Japan to a single and earned a deuce in the second end. After two blanked ends its opponents, Canada stole a point on a missed runback from Japan for a 3-1 lead at the fifth-end break. 

Japan tied the game in the sixth with a deuce, leading to the second-half comeback win.

The Canadians now have six wins and four losses in the round robin and are tied with Italy’s Team Stefania Constantini in the standings. Sweden’s Team Anna Hasselborg is also at six wins and has one game in hand.

So far only one team has qualified for the playoffs. Switzerland’s Team Silvana Tirinzoni (9-0) is undefeated and guaranteed its spot in the playoffs earlier today.

Canada plays its final two round-robin games on Friday against two teams clinging for hopes of qualifying for the playoffs. At 4 a.m. (all times ET) Canada plays Turkey’s Team Dilsat Yildiz (5-5) and ends the round robin against Denmark’s Team Madeleine Dupont (3-6) at 9 a.m.

The top six teams qualify for the playoff round, with the top two receiving a bye while the remaining four play in the first round. The medal games will be played Sunday. 

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TSN/RDS2, the official broadcast partners of Curling Canada’s Season of Champions, will provide live coverage of Canada’s round-robin games and all playoff games. CLICK HERE for their complete broadcast schedule.

The list of teams, schedule information and live scoring can be found on the event website.

The French version of this story will be posted as soon as possible at www.curling.ca/?lang=fr