PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. — Canada’s Kerri Einarson ran hot and cold at the women’s world curling championship Saturday to emerge with a 1-1 record on opening day.
The host country fell 6-4 to Norway after dominating Italy 9-2. The Canadians take on newcomer Turkey and defending champion Switzerland on Sunday.
Led by Einarson’s mastery of draw weight, Canada stole seven points against the Italians, who conceded after the sixth end.
Einarson and third Val Sweeting weren’t as sharp drawing or hitting against the Norwegians, who stole three points over the first two ends and stole another in the sixth to lead 5-2.
“Just a little bit of overthrowing tonight,” Einarson said. “I think we’ll talk about it. There’s some shots we’d like to cover over I’m sure. We’re 1-1 first day and it’s going to be a grind all week.”
Canada faced mixed doubles specialists in both games Saturday.
Italian skip Stefania Constantini won Olympic gold in Beijing last month with Amos Mosaner.
Kristin Skaslien, who throws fourth stones for Norwegian skip Marianne Roervik, and teammate Magnus Nedregotten lost to the Italians in that final in Beijing.
Einarson shot 96 per cent against Italy and her team was 88 per cent overall.
The Canadian skip made 95 per cent of her draws in the first game, but was only 60 per cent on the draw in the evening draw compared to Skaslien’s 94.
Sweeting was outcurled positionally by Roervik throwing third stones 78 per cent to 65.
Canada scored one point in the seventh and stole another in the eighth to make up ground on the Norwegians, but couldn’t generate a multi-point end coming home.
“There’s no reason to get worried after this game,” second Shannon Birchard said. “We battled back and did what we could and it’s a new tomorrow.”
The top six teams among 13 at the conclusion of the round robin Friday advance to next Saturday’s playoffs, followed by Sunday’s medal games.
Canada’s game Sunday evening against Switzerland is an important one as Silvana Tirinzoni is the back-to-back world champion attempting to complete a hat trick in Prince George.
Einarson was also 1-1 after the first day of the 2021 world championship in Calgary.
The Canadians then lost four in a row, but climbed out of that hole into the six-team playoff by winning six of their last seven. Canada fell short of the semifinals in Calgary, however.
“We definitely feel like we’re a different team,” Einarson said. “We’re a little more relaxed and maybe not as uptight.”
Fans physically in a curling arena has been rare in Canada for the last two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
When Einarson, Sweeting, Birchard and Brianne Meilleur won a third straight national championship Feb. 6, only volunteers and some junior curlers were allowed into Thunder Bay’s building on the final weekend to see it.
Einarson and company competed in the world championship in Calgary’s curling bubble without spectators last year.
The Gimli Curling Club team from Manitoba had arrived in Prince George for the 2020 world championship only for it to be abruptly called off because of the pandemic.
Einarson played in front of fans at November’s curling trials in Saskatoon. The Canadian men’s championship that concluded Sunday in Lethbridge, Alta., had no capacity limits.
But wearing the Maple Leaf in a building where the majority of spectators are pro-Canada had felt like a long time coming for Einarson.
While each of Saturday’s draws at the CN Centre drew less than 2,000 spectators in a building that holds almost 6,000, the Canadian skip relished the audience’s loud reactions to her team’s shots.
“Getting that and feeding off that is something we’ve missed,” Einarson said. “I stepped on the ice and just instantly got goosebumps and my family, I looked up and they’re right behind us.”
Norway, which lost in an extra end to South Korea earlier Saturday, was also 1-1 alongside Canada.
Sweden, the United States, Japan, Denmark and the Swiss joined the South Koreans at 1-0 after the first day.
The Czech Republic, Scotland, Germany and Italy were 0-1 and the Turks 0-2.
The Scots played with three players in a 12-1 loss to the Swiss. Scotland awaits the arrival of a reinforcement player Sunday.
Skip Rebecca Morrison and alternate Fay Henderson tested positive for COVID-19. Morrison believes she will rejoin her team later in the tournament.
Sweden’s Anna Hasselborg won an Olympic bronze women’s team medal Beijing, where a limited number of Chinese spectators were allowed into venues.
The Swedish skip felt her team shed some post-Olympic fatigue in Saturday’s atmosphere.
“Stepping out on the ice here today, and it was like people in the stands, people that applaud you, and all the feelings just got back to me and love for the game,” Hasselborg said.
“I think it’s amazing to see people out there cheering for you and cheering good shots. Even though they were super-much celebrating Canada, it doesn’t matter as long as there’s noise.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 19, 2022.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
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.”
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.
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.
