Edin redemption sparks Team World to 4-2 lead at WFG Continental Cup

For the second straight draw Team World won two of three games Thursday, this time in the mixed doubles, to take a 4-2 edge over Team North America at the World Financial Group Continental Cup presented by Service Experts. After losing 9-5 in the morning team competition – the only Team World squad to lose — Niklas Edin, with superb help from fellow Swede Sofia Mabergs, redeemed himself in the afternoon. The two Swedes gave up singles in the first two ends but erupted for three in the third and a steal of two in the fourth and rolled to a 7-4 win over Becca and Matt Hamilton of the U.S. “We found out about one tricky rock and a few spots on the ice and we needed a couple of ends to get into it,” said Edin. “But I think overall we played a really solid game and collected a lot of information.  At the beginning I wrecked on a couple of guards and that makes for tricky ends. But once we got those first few rocks in there it’s an easier game. Once we really got it going we were the stronger team.” Team World won two of the three mixed doubles matches, each worth one point, the same result as in the morning team competition. A total of 60 points are available over the four days of competition, which features traditional team games, mixed doubles games and skins games, with the first team to reach 30.5 points declared the winner. Team World’s Esther Neuenschwander and Claudio Pätz (Switzerland) jumped on Team North America’s Rachel Homan and Brent Gallant (Canada), scoring two in the first end and three in the second for an 8-5 win. It was the second straight game Homan found herself behind 5-0 after two ends. Team North America’s only victory came when Lisa Weagle and Brad Gushue (Canada) beat Anna Hasselborg and Oskar Eriksson (Sweden) 7-3. “It was a big game to stay within two points,” Gushue said of their win. “Got a couple of good games going tonight so hopefully we can get back and tie it up or even take the lead.” Weagle-Gushue were in control of the game but still needed a last-rock miss by Hasselborg to take the win. Hasselborg had a chance to score three but her last rock tap-back attempt rubbed a guard and slid wide, leading a steal of one. “Throwing last rock isn’t something I normally do so certainly a little bit more pressure,” said Weagle, who plays lead for Homan’s Olympics-bound team. ” But it was just a guard and that’s a shot I always throw. We weren’t sure if the shot was there for her, so we had to just stand, watch and hope.” In the opening draw Thursday morning, Team World won two of three team games two take a 2-1 points lead. The 2018 World Financial Group Continental Cup, presented by Service Experts, continues Thursday with another round of team play in the 7 p.m. draw (all times Eastern).

As well, the first game of the best-of-five Americas Zone men’s challenge series between Canada’s Glenn Howard and Brazil’s Marcelo Mello is slated for Thursday at 7 p.m.

Tickets for the 2018 World Financial Group Continental Cup can be purchased at www.curling.ca/2018continentalcup/tickets/ or by calling 1-855-985-5000. For the complete schedule, go to: www.curling.ca/2018continentalcup/draw-schedule/ TSN (RDS2 in French), the exclusive television network for the Curling Canada’s Season of Champions, will provide complete coverage of the World Financial Group Continental Cup. The event also is being streamed live in the United States on ESPN3. CLICK HERE to see TSN’s broadcast schedule. This story will be posted in French as soon as possible at www.curling.ca/2018continentalcup/?lang=fr