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Brad Gushue Team Canada wins gold Pan Continental Curling Championships

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2 years ago

November 6, 2022

CALGARY — Brad Gushue put a flourish on his team’s dominant curling to become the first men’s Pan Continental champion on Sunday.

To inject levity in a lopsided 11-3 win over South Korea in the final, Canada’s skip weaved his final stone of the eighth end under his front leg and delivered it outside of his knee for a trick shot.

“I’ve done it a lot in clinics and stuff like that and shown kids,” Gushue said. “Usually I can hit the rings, but I’m a little disappointed it went through there. Epic fail.”

Gushue’s team from St. John’s, N.L., scored two points in the first end, stole one in the second, scored four in the fourth and stole another three in the fifth for a 10-1 lead.

The South Koreans, ready to concede by the eighth end, were content to peel lone rocks in the rings to accelerate the game’s conclusion.

“The ice was really good in the first four or five ends,” Gushue said. “We really felt like, let’s be aggressive in those first five ends, see if we can get some steals, get some big ends and then just kind of hold on.”

The World Curling Federation introduced the Pan Continental Curling Championship this year as a world championship qualifier for all countries outside of Europe, and to provide a regional equivalent to the 46-year-old European Curling Championship.

Reigning national champions Gushue and Kerri Einarson, a 7-5 winner over the U.S. in Sunday’s women’s bronze-medal game, were Canada’s representatives.

Gushue reached an international podium for a third time in 2022 after winning Olympic bronze in February and world championship silver in April.

“Certainly for us, we’re still very proud of winning this,” Gushue said. “There’s lots of good teams here and we played really well. We’re going to give ourselves a little pat on the back. It certainly doesn’t have the same prestige as the Europeans yet, but give it time.”

Teams finishing in the top five in Calgary secured 2023 world championship berths for their countries, but Canada has an automatic entry as host of the men’s event in Ottawa.

South Korea, bronze medallist U.S., Japan and New Zealand qualified for the April competition.

Einarson, vice Val Sweeting, second Shannon Birchard and lead Brianne Harris, who earned women’s world championship bronze in March, locked in Canada’s spot next year in Sandviken, Sweden before the final weekend.

Einarson recovered from Saturday’s 6-5 semifinal loss to Satsuki Fujisawa, the Olympic silver medallist from Japan, to defeat Tabitha Peterson and get on the podium in Calgary.

“Yesterday was extremely tough” said Einarson from Gimli, Man. “I was very, very hard on myself after that game. To come out and play like we did shows we have lots of fight in us.

“We had really great rock placement and we continued that throughout the whole entire game. We learn from our mistakes and try not to repeat them.”

Japan faced South Korea’s Seungyoun Ha for gold Sunday evening. New Zealand’s women ranked fifth to earn a world championship berth.

Gushue faced non-traditional curling opponents such as Chinese Taipei, Australia and Brazil at the WinSport Event Centre.

After a 10-8 loss to the United States to open the tournament, Gushue, vice Mark Nichols, new second E.J. Harnden and lead Geoff Walker won eight games in a row and outscored the opposition 80-24.

“The teams that we played probably weren’t of the calibre that we see on the Grand Slam circuit, but I think even if we had played this way in the Grand Slams, we would have been there at the end of the week,” Gushue said.

Harnden is new to Gushue’s team this season as Brett Gallant’s replacement. The skip said the Pan Continental was a chance for his altered lineup to get international experience together.

Canada’s big early leads throughout the week also opened the door for 19-year-old alternate Nathan Young to get some game reps.

“I don’t get to play on that kind of ice surface that often,” Young said. “To get out there and throw on that ice is really beneficial. Also, it’s kind of nerve-racking when you’re sitting in the hack and Team Gushue is kind of controlling your rock.

“It’s good practice to kind of just focus on the shot. It was really nice of the guys to get me in as much as they did.”

The next event for Gushue and Einarson is Dec. 6-11 in Oakville, Ont., at the Grand Slam Masters.

“Once a month for the rest of the year, that was strategic for us,” Gushue said. “It is a post-Olympic year. We don’t want to wear ourselves out.

“We’re old, so we have to make sure we’re ready in three years’ time for the (Olympic) trials.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2022.

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Sports

Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.

“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”

Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.

The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.

Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.

“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.

“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”

The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.

“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”

Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.

“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.

___

AP cricket:

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Sports

Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.

Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.

The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.

The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.

Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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