Team Canada quickly shakes off Norway loss with win against Team Japan

Fist bumps and words of encouragement echoed between the athletes of Team Canada throughout their two games on Sunday at the 2025 World Wheelchair Curling Championship in Scotland to keep team morale high.

Despite the contrasting results of each game, the Canadians’ poise and positivity remained consistent. Team Canada began the day with a 7-4 loss to Team Norway and ended it with an 8-2 win against Team Japan.

Sunday afternoon’s game marked the first time Norway and Canada met since the gold-medal match at the 2024 World Wheelchair Curling Championship in South Korea, where the Norwegians similarly outscored the Canadians.

“That’s just how curling goes sometimes,” said Jon Thurston, Canada’s fourth-rock thrower. “Norway played really well. I thought we also played great; we just had our moments where we couldn’t capitalize on some opportunities, and they kept up the pressure.”

The game was close, with Canada scoring three in the sixth end to tie the game 4-4 before Team Norway pulled away. Regardless of the game’s outcome, fourth Thurston (Dunsford, Ont.), third/skip Gilbert Dash (Kipling, Sask.), second Douglas Dean (Thunder Bay, Ont.), lead Collinda Joseph (Stittsville, Ont.), and fifth Chrissy Molnar (Trent Lakes, Ont.) kept things positive at the Auchenharvie Leisure Centre.

“I think the fist bumps and high fives just remind us that we all have each other’s backs and we’re sharing what we’re seeing from the last shot to learn the next one,” said Thurston.

Team Canada capitalized on the short break between its games to focus on key takeaways and areas that could be improved before taking the ice again.

“We struggled a bit this afternoon, but we weren’t totally down,” said Joseph after Team Canada’s win against Team Japan. “I think we were obviously disappointed that we didn’t win, and we were looking for ways to come out and do better this evening. We managed to do just that. It helps to keep our focus more forward rather than harping on what happened in the game that we had just lost.”

Not only was the evening’s win a great way to end Day 2 of the tournament, but it was also Molnar’s debut in a major international tournament for Team Canada.

“I’m happy we were able to pull out a win for Chrissy’s memory of her first game at a World Championship,” said Joseph. “It was so great to have her out there.”

Team Canada will face Team South Korea on Monday at 4:30 a.m. and Team Latvia at 9:30 a.m. (all times Eastern).