Playoff march continues for Team Canada at BKT Tires World Women’s Curling Championship

Skip Rachel Homan and her Canadian teammates had a great run through the first half of the 2024 BKT Tires World Women’s Curling Championship, but she’ll tell you that job number one has yet to be done.

That is securing a top-two finish in the 13-team, round-robin competition at Centre 200 in Sydney, N.S.

That goal came closer to completion Wednesday morning as Team Canada (7-0) kept its slate clean with a well-earned 7-2 victory over skip Miyu Ueno’s Team Japan (2-5).

A top-two finish bodes well in this fight for global supremacy because it secures a spot directly into the semifinals on the weekend.

There is much more work to do, however, before the Canadians can relax. First place is a nice neighbourhood, but staying there is tough.

There are still plenty of contenders nipping at Team Canada’s heels. Chief among them are teams from Switzerland and Italy, both at 6-1. The Italians, skipped by Stefania Constantini, kept up its solid play with a 10-9 victory over skip Eunji Gim’s Team South Korea (5-2) in one of two key matchups on the morning draw. Defending champions Team Switzerland, skipped by Silvana Tirinzoni, had the bye, along with skip Madeleine Dupont’s Team Denmark (5-2).

Team Sweden (5-3), skipped by Anna Hasselborg, also scooted up the standings after a 10-5 win over skip Tabitha Peterson’s Team U.S.A. (2-5). The Swedes scored four in the first end and were off to the races. It was their fifth straight win after a slow start.

The Canadians, after an emotionally charged victory over the Swiss the night before, had to wipe the sleep from their eyes in the morning before they came alive. They led 3-1 after five ends and were the benefit of a couple of loose shots by the Japanese skip.

It wasn’t until the eighth end that Team Canada took control, thanks to a great shot by second Emma Miskew, who left two Canadian stones, partially covered, in the side of the rings after clearing up the front. Ueno was ultimately left with a cross-house double to save the end, rolled open, and Homan punched it out for a three-ender and a 6-2 lead.

“Important to win today,” said Miskew. “Really important. We knew they (Japanese) were trending upwards this week, getting better every game so we knew they were going to come out and make a lot of shot against us. Felt like we were just here last night and right back at it this morning so sometimes those games are hard to get up for. We had to stay patient and make sure we scored in the right ends.”

Homan, whose team is rounded out by vice-skip Tracy Fleury, second Miskew, lead Sarah Wilkes, alternate Rachel Brown and coached by Don Bartlett and national coach Viktor Kjell, said the team was perhaps affected by an emotional day Tuesday.

“It was a big day, probably too much caffeine,” she said.

Miskew feels the team can still play better.

“There’s always slight room for improvement but it’s pretty close,” she said. “The ice surface this morning was straighter, so we were a little slow to start. Now we know it.”

In the only other game on the morning draw, Team Norway (3-4), skipped by Marianne Roervik, stayed alive after rolling to an 11-4 win over skip Jessica Smith’s Team New Zealand (1-6).

Other teams with the bye included Scotland (2-5), Estonia (1-6) and Turkey (1-6).

Team Canada has the afternoon bye and faces Team Turkey in the evening.

The third- through sixth-ranked teams after the round-robin wraps up Friday evening compete in playoff qualification games (3 vs. 6; 4 vs. 5) with the winners advancing to the semifinals. The semifinal winners play in the gold-medal game and the losers play for bronze. 

The final goes March 24.

The 2024 BKT Tires World Women’s Curling Championship continues with draws at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. (all times Atlantic).

Live scoring, standings and statistics for the 2024 BKT Tires World Women’s Curling Championship are available by CLICKING HERE.

TSN and RDS2 will provide complete coverage of the 2024 BKT Tires World Women’s Curling Championship. CLICK HERE for the complete schedule.

For ticket information for the 2024 BKT Tires World Women’s Curling Championship, go to www.curling.ca/2024worldwomen/tickets/.

This story will be available in French as soon as possible at www.curling.ca/2024worldwomen/nouvelles/?lang=fr