Canadian entries remain unbeaten at 2025 World Senior Championships

It was a super Sunday in Fredericton, N.B., for Canada’s representatives at the 2025 World Senior Championships.

Atina Ford Johnston’s women’s team, representing clubs in Okotoks, Calgary and Sherwood Park, Alta., claimed victory in its opening game Sunday morning at Willie O’Ree Place.

On Sunday evening, Team Randy Bryden of Regina capped the perfect day for Canada with its second victory in as many outings.

In the morning game, Ford Johnston, backed up by vice-skip Shannon Morris, second Sheri Pickering, lead Cori Morris and alternate/coach Lesley McEwan, shook off a nervous start to pull out a 6-4 win over Japan’s Team Miyako Yoshimura.

It came down to Ford Johnston’s final shot — a draw to touch the four-foot that ground to a halt just in time to prevent Japan stealing the tying point and forcing an extra end.

Even for someone with as much international experience as Ford Johnston, the nerves were definitely there on Sunday morning.

“There’s some really great teams out here and I’m nervous anytime I wear the Maple Leaf on my back,” said Ford Johnston, the alternate for Sandra Schmirler’s Olympic gold-medal team and world championship gold-medal teams, and the skip of Canada’s bronze-medal team at the 1991 World Juniors. “It brings back memories of doing it before. I want to perform for my country and for my team, of course, and for me and my family and for everybody cheering us on.”

There were cheers aplenty in the fourth end for Team Canada, who trailed 2-0 but rallied with a crucial game-tying deuce, the result of a wonderful draw to the four-foot from Ford Johnston, aided by a great sweep from the tandem of Cori Morris and Sheri Pickering and a gutsy line call from Shannon Morris.

The shot turned the tide of the game, noted Ford Johnston.

“That’s what it takes and usually that’s how we make our shots — as team shots,” she said. “We need all four of us to be involved in the shot in order to make them. It did settle us down and gave me a better read on the ice. It helped us in the second half of the game, and, sure, it’s just a little more confidence.”

The Canadian women return to action Monday at 11 a.m. (all times Eastern) against Sweden’s Team Camilla Noreen (1-0).

Meanwhile, Team Bryden (rounded out by vice-skip Troy Robinson, second Russ Bryden, lead Chris Semenchuck and alternate Glen Hill) sailed past Portugal’s Team Vitor Santos (1-1) 15-2, aided by three-point steals in the first and fourth ends.

That brought chants of “Steal, Steal, Steal” from the bandit mask-clad Team Bryden fans, who are putting their own spin on the banana-costume fans chanting “Peel, Peel, Peel” at the recent Grand Slam AMJ Players’ Championship.

The Canadian team, which was pushed to an extra end in a low-scoring opener Saturday night against Belgium, decided to return to its offensive philosophy against the Portuguese team.

“We just changed strategy,” said Russ Bryden, who exited the game after the fifth end in to give Hill his first game action at the World Seniors. “The first game we came out and we just played it simple and we were throwing everything in the house. And then today we were talking about it and said, no, we’re just going to go back and start playing aggressive like we normally would play.”

It paid off with big numbers all night, including a four in the third end, and five in the sixth to prompt the concession from Portugal.

Team Bryden is back on the ice Monday at 3 p.m. against England’s Team Ken Horton (2-0).

There is no streaming coverage planned for the World Senior Championships. For the latest scores, draw and list of teams, CLICK HERE.