Team Sweden closes schedule with impressive win

Team Sweden moved closer to the coveted No. 2 seeding Friday at the 2022 BKT Tires & OK Tire World Women’s Curling Championship, presented by Nature’s Bounty, in Prince George, B.C., but it was the spectre of the games not being played that stood out sharply in the afternoon draw at CN Centre.

Sweden, skipped by Anna Hasselborg, defeated Team Norway, skipped by Marianne Roervik, 6-3 in the afternoon to finish its round-robin schedule with a sparkling 9-3 record. That could be enough to secure a first-round bye in the playoffs for the talented Swedes who are looking to improve on the two world silver medals they gained in 2018 and 2019. But much will depend on the evening’s final draw.

The top six teams qualify for the playoffs after round-robin play. The top two teams get an automatic bye into the second round.

The Sweden-Norway game was one of only two that hit the ice in the afternoon. Two other scheduled games were cancelled because of COVID-induced complications. Team Scotland bowed out of the tournament early in the week, and Japanese skip Ikue Kitazawa and her team pulled out of the competition on Friday morning. That left Team South Korea and Team Turkey with default wins Friday.

It mattered little to Team Turkey, skipped by Dilsat Yildiz (2-10), but the forfeited win did boost the South Koreans into a two-way tie with Canada in third place with 8-3 records in the battle for the second playoff spot. Both teams play tonight at 7 p.m. (all times PT).

Two-time defending champions from Switzerland, skipped by Silvana Tirinzoni, with Alina Paetz throwing skip stones, have already wrapped up first place with an 11-0 record.

Japan’s decision to drop out of the competition confirmed the six teams that will qualify for the playoffs, although rankings won’t be determined until the end of the 13-team round-robin ends this evening. 

The six playoff teams, however, are Switzerland, Sweden, Canada, South Korea, Denmark and the United States.

Team Canada, skipped by Kerri Einarson, finishes its schedule with a game against Team Czech Republic (2-9), skipped by Alzbeta Baudysova, and hopes to clinch a second-place finish. The Canadians, based out of Gimli, Man., are coming off an impressive 8-5 win in the morning over Team Germany’s Daniela Jentsch (5-6). 

The Czechs were involved in the only other game on the ice Friday afternoon but lost 7-3 to Team Italy’s Stefania Constantini (4-8).

The 2022 BKT Tires & OK Tire World Women’s Curling Championship continues Thursday with a draw at 7 p.m.

Live scoring, standings and statistics for the 2022 BKT Tires & OK Tire World Women’s Curling Championship are available by CLICKING HERE.

TSN and RDS2 will provide complete coverage of the 2022 BKT Tires & OK Tire World Women’s Curling Championship. CLICK HERE for the complete schedule.

For ticket information for the 2022 BKT Tires & OK Tire World Women’s Curling Championship, go to www.curling.ca/2022worldwomen/tickets/

This story will be available in French as soon as possible at www.curling.ca/2022worldwomen/nouvelles/?lang=fr