Strong Finnish earns a shot at world championship

It came down to the wire for the Finnish team led by Aku Kauste to secure a spot in the 2013 Ford World Men’s Curling Championship, presented by Booster Juice, March 30-April 7 in Victoria’s Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre. Competing in the 2012 European Curling Championships in Karlstad, Sweden, the Finns won the ‘B’ pool, providing the opportunity for a playoff with the eighth-place finisher in the ‘A’ pool. They went on to defeat Thomas Dufour of France 2-1 in the best-of-three World Challenge playoff and book a trip to Victoria. This will be the third appearance at the world championship for Kauste who was part of the Markku Uusipaavalniemi teams in 2002 and 2003. At the 2003 Ford World Men’s in Winnipeg, the Finns were second in the round robin standings, losing in the bronze-medal game to Pål Trulsen of Norway. Kauste will take to the ice at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre with teammates Jani Sullanmaa, Pauli Jäämies and Janne Pitko. “You Gotta Be There” when the top 12 teams in the world come to Victoria for the 2013 Ford World Men’s Curling Championship. Great seats are still available just by clicking here.