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Swedes book spot in Page one-two Playoff
The penultimate draw at the Ford Women’s World Championship at the Enmax Centre in Lethbridge failed to clear up the entire playoff picture, but it did narrow the scenarios.
One game that answered two questions on the same sheet was Sweden’s dismantling of Denmark.
It was 7-1 going into the fifth-end break for the Swedes and ended early, 7-2 heading into seven.
The loss eliminated the Danes, who were sitting on four losses. A win would have set up a virtual playoff with the Americans in the last draw later today. Allison Pottinger’s crew has reeled off six straight wins after losing their first four.
Instead, the Danes are done.
More importantly, the win assured the Swedish unit of Margaretha Sigfridsson of a place in the Page One-Two playoff, and two playoff lives.
“We played well all week, I think – some games better, some games worse,” said Sigfridsson.
“We just really need to keep focused and keep playing our game so, consequently, at the moment, the girls are looking very good on the ice.”(Continued Below…)
Draw 16 Photos
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Another playoff-impacting tilt involved Korea and Russia, and once again Ji-Sun Kim rose to the occasion with a comfortable 7-3 win to finish play at 8-3. From the third end on, the Koreans controlled the contest, reeling off seven points in seven ends. The win keeps the Koreans alive for the No. 1 seed. As a result of their win over Sweden in the round-robin, a tiebreaker between the two of them would go their way. But that can only happen if both Canada and Switzerland lose their final games later today. Kim said qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in her country’s history is an honour. “It’s very exciting, unbelievable,” she said, smiling, and still trembling after coming off the ice. As for getting help from Scotland and Russia tonight, she admitted to being a little nervous. “Very nervous,” said Kim. “Today was one loss to Switzerland. I did not play very well, but mentally I was much better. I very much wanted to win.”. A Canadian win over Scotland’s Eve Muirhead, now 5-5 but eliminated, would thrust Heather Nedohin’s crew into the Page One-Two game. The chance of playing spoiler is a role Muirhead is looking forward to at the end of a tough week. “It’s always tough when you know you are out of the running,” said Muirhead. “We came here to qualify for the playoffs and it didn’t go that way, but you know it’s always a big game — Scotland-Canada — so I’m going to get up for that game and I’m sure it’s going to be a great atmosphere.” (Continued below…) httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiPDX7gzSr0 Muirhead needed an extra end to beat Italy’s Diana Gaspari 9-8 after the Italian skip missed a chance for three in the 10th end. Down two, had a takeout in the back ring wiuth rolled a inch too far to take the win in regulation time. Gaspari finished the week at 3-8. The two other crucial pieces of the puzzle tonight: The Americans at 6-4 taking on the Danes (5-5 and eliminated). The U.S. must win and need help for a tiebreaker. The Swiss can help their fate with a win over the Russians. Should Mirjam Ott win and Canada lose, the Swiss would move into the Page One-Two game with Sweden. That could create a tiebreaking situation if the Americans win. There can only be one tiebreaker, if any. It would be played at 2 p.m. Friday. In the only other action on the ice in the afternoon, the Germans downed the Czechs 6-5. They’ll finish tonight against China (2-9), while the Czechs finish the event at 2-9, losing nine after having won their first two games of the week.
Swedish skip Margaretha Sigfridsson at the 2012 Ford World Women's Curling Championship. (Photo: CCA/Michael Burns)
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Another playoff-impacting tilt involved Korea and Russia, and once again Ji-Sun Kim rose to the occasion with a comfortable 7-3 win to finish play at 8-3. From the third end on, the Koreans controlled the contest, reeling off seven points in seven ends. The win keeps the Koreans alive for the No. 1 seed. As a result of their win over Sweden in the round-robin, a tiebreaker between the two of them would go their way. But that can only happen if both Canada and Switzerland lose their final games later today. Kim said qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in her country’s history is an honour. “It’s very exciting, unbelievable,” she said, smiling, and still trembling after coming off the ice. As for getting help from Scotland and Russia tonight, she admitted to being a little nervous. “Very nervous,” said Kim. “Today was one loss to Switzerland. I did not play very well, but mentally I was much better. I very much wanted to win.”. A Canadian win over Scotland’s Eve Muirhead, now 5-5 but eliminated, would thrust Heather Nedohin’s crew into the Page One-Two game. The chance of playing spoiler is a role Muirhead is looking forward to at the end of a tough week. “It’s always tough when you know you are out of the running,” said Muirhead. “We came here to qualify for the playoffs and it didn’t go that way, but you know it’s always a big game — Scotland-Canada — so I’m going to get up for that game and I’m sure it’s going to be a great atmosphere.” (Continued below…) httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiPDX7gzSr0 Muirhead needed an extra end to beat Italy’s Diana Gaspari 9-8 after the Italian skip missed a chance for three in the 10th end. Down two, had a takeout in the back ring wiuth rolled a inch too far to take the win in regulation time. Gaspari finished the week at 3-8. The two other crucial pieces of the puzzle tonight: The Americans at 6-4 taking on the Danes (5-5 and eliminated). The U.S. must win and need help for a tiebreaker. The Swiss can help their fate with a win over the Russians. Should Mirjam Ott win and Canada lose, the Swiss would move into the Page One-Two game with Sweden. That could create a tiebreaking situation if the Americans win. There can only be one tiebreaker, if any. It would be played at 2 p.m. Friday. In the only other action on the ice in the afternoon, the Germans downed the Czechs 6-5. They’ll finish tonight against China (2-9), while the Czechs finish the event at 2-9, losing nine after having won their first two games of the week.