Teams fighting for position at World Wheelchair Championship

Canada joins a logjam of teams fighting for position at the 2017 World Wheelchair Curling Championship in Gangneung, South Korea, after losing both games on Tuesday.

Team Canada lead Ellis Tull takes aim as third Ina Forrest and second Marie Wright watch during round robin action at the 2017 World Wheelchair Curling Championship in Gangneung, South Korea (WCF/Céline Stucki photo)

Skip Jim Armstrong, vice-skip Ina Forrest, second Marie Wright, lead Mark Ideson, alternate Ellis Tull and coach Wayne Kiel now have three losses and join China, Germany, South Korea, Norway and Scotland in a group with 3-3 records. But despite the losses, it was also a day of preparation. Looking ahead to the 2018 Paralympics, which will take place in this same venue, Team Canada shifted its line-up around so that all members of the team can earn some valuable experience at this highest level of competition. In a 6-2 loss to China’s Haitoa Wang, Ideson took over skipping duties for Armstrong, with Forrest throwing last rocks and Tull at lead. The game hinged on a couple of missed shots late in the sixth and seventh ends, allowing China to steal their way to victory. With the original line-up back in place against South Korea’s Jong Pan Kim, Team Canada struggled early, giving up three steals in a row to trail 6-0 at the break. They fought back in the second half with a deuce in five, followed by steals in the next two ends, but ended up on the short side of an 8-4 score. The round robin continues on Wednesday with Team Canada playing only one game, against Finland’s Markku Karjalainen (Tuesday 8 p.m. EST). For more information about the 2017 World Wheelchair Curling Championship, go to: www.worldcurling.org/wwhcc2017