South Korea steals way to win over Canada at Ford Worlds

SWIFT CURRENT — The odds are long for South Korea to make the playoffs at the Ford World Women’s Curling Championship, presented by Meridian Manufacturing, but the team pulled a shocking upset on the afternoon draw Wednesday. Down two coming home without the hammer, South Korea’s Ji Sun Kim stole two in the 10th end against Canada to win 8-7 and silence the crowd at the Credit Union iplex. The South Koreans are now 4-5. With her last rock, Canadian skip Chelsea Carey was facing two, one biting the four-foot and the other guarded in the back four-foot. Carey chose to play a soft hit on the guarded rock. When the rock slid past, the South Koreans celebrated their fourth win of the championship. “I didn’t think we were going to win, but I was never going to think about giving up,” Kim — backed up by fourth-rock thrower Un Chi Gim, third Min Ji Um and second Seul Bee Lee — said through an interpreter.
Team Canada skip Chelsea Carey shows her disappointment during Wednesday's setback. (Photo, Curling Canada/Michael Burns)

Team Canada skip Chelsea Carey shows her disappointment during Wednesday’s setback. (Photo, Curling Canada/Michael Burns)

“As you know, Canada is the strongest (curling) country in the world every year. We are happy that we got a win. Our team got really happy because we beat a strong team.” The loss dropped Canada to 6-2 and into a tie with Japan’s Satsuki Fujisawa for third place. Switzerland’s Binia Feltscher leads the competition at 7-1, while Scotland’s Eve Muirhead is second at 7-2. “We can’t do anything about it now,” said Carey, whose team is rounded out by third Amy Nixon, second Jocelyn Peterman, lead Laine Peters, alternate Susan O’Connor, team coach Charley Thomas and national coach Elaine Dagg-Jackson. “That game was ours to lose and I did that — my fault. Hopefully, I won’t make another stupid mistake like that.” Canada is back on the ice tonight (7 p.m., all times MDT) against Finland’s Oona Kauste. Meanwhile, in a clash of titans, the Swiss fell behind 5-1 to Scotland before fighting back for a 7-6 extra-end win. Feltscher and her team put on a clinic in the last half of the game. “Yes, it’s cool to win,” Feltscher said. “The first half of this game was really not my game.”
Switzerland skip Binia Feltscher directs her team during its victory over Scotland. (Photo, Curling Canada/Michael Burns)

Switzerland skip Binia Feltscher directs her team during its victory over Scotland. (Photo, Curling Canada/Michael Burns)

She made up for it down the stretch. Muirhead took the loss in stride. “They played great. I’m actually pretty happy the way we played out there,” Muirhead said. “I don’t think we can get too hung up on that at all. When you play a team that was shooting out the lights in those last few ends, it is hard, but as I said, I’m not going to get down after that at all.” Switzerland plays Russia’s Anna Sidorova (5-3) tonight in another important game. In other Draw 13 games, Erika Brown of the United States (4-4) defeated Germany’s Daniela Driendl (3-6) 7-4, and Sweden’s Margaretha Sigfridsson (3-6) defeated Denmark’s Lene Nielsen (3-5) 6-2. Japan’s Satsuki Fujisawa (6-2), Russia (5-3), Finland (1-7) and Italy’s Federica Apollonio (1-7) had byes. For ticket and other event information, visit https://www.curling.ca/2016worldwomen/tickets/ For the complete results, standings, the schedule and much more, visit https://www.curling.ca/2016worldwomen/ This story will be posted in French as soon as possible at https://www.curling.ca/2016worldwomen/?lang=fr TSN (RDS2 in French), the exclusive television network for Curling Canada’s Season of Champions, will provide complete coverage of the 2016 Ford Worlds.