Canada’s Team Lott/Lott ready for next stage of World Mixed Doubles

OESTERSUND, Sweden —  As world championship rookies, you’d be hard-pressed to have asked for anything better than what Kadriana Lott and Colton Lott have put together through the first six days of the 2024 World Mixed Doubles Championship.

But be assured, the reigning Canadian champs from Gimli, Man., aren’t yet satisfied despite two more wins on Thursday at the Oestersund Arena to close out round-robin play.

The husband-and-wife duo, who play out of the Winnipeg Beach Curling Club, will begin their playoff quest Friday against Estonia’s Marie Kaldvee and Harri Lill (6-3) in the qualification round at 4 a.m. (all times Eastern), with the winner moving on to play Norway’s Kristin Skaslien and Magnus Nedregotten in the semifinal Friday at noon. Norway topped its pool with a 7-2 record.

And Team Canada knows there is still work to be done in Sweden.

“Exactly,” said Colton Lott, moments after a 12-6 win over Becca Hamilton and Matt Hamilton of the United States (5-4) on Thursday night, a result that eliminated the U.S. “This is where we have to be at our best and we know that going forward, we just have to leave it all out there and give it all we have.”

Based on the nine-game round robin, Canada has a right to feel good about its chances. Lott and Lott finished with an 8-1 record, tied for first place with Sweden’s Isabella Wrana and Rasmus Wrana, who secured first place and a bye to the semifinal by virtue of their win over Canada earlier in the week.

Canada — 11-4 winners over Australia’s Tahli Gill and Dean Hewitt earlier Thursday — topped the 20-team field in cumulative shooting percentage.

And as was the case all week, Canada showed against the United States an ability to rise to the occasion when the going gets a little tough.

Canada played one sloppy end — the U.S. used its power play to score three in the sixth end — but responded immediately with its second perfect six-ender of the championship to end the game.

“I think we executed well,” said Kadriana Lott. “We had a few rocky ends in these couple games (today) but we sharpened up what we had to and finished strong at the end.”

“It’s mixed doubles; you’re never out of it regardless of what happens,” added Colton Lott. “If you do give up one of those ends, it’s just about knowing how to claw back right after that.

In the other playoff qualifying game, Switzerland’s Briar Huerlimann-Schwaller and Yannick Schwaller (6-3) will play Scotland’s Sophie Jackson and Duncan McFadzean (6-3), with the winner advancing to play Sweden in the semifinal. Scotland handed Sweden its first loss of the championship, prevailing 8-4 on Thursday night.

The semifinal winners play for gold Saturday at 8 a.m., while the bronze-medal game goes Saturday at 4 a.m.

In the morning win over Australia, Canada was in full command early, getting a first-end deuce and stealing one in the second. The Canadians put an exclamation point on the victory with three in the sixth end and a steal of three in the seventh to prompt the concession from Australia.

Canada is assured of a top-five finish, which helps its chances significantly of securing a berth in the 2026 Winter Olympics mixed doubles competition. The combined results of the 2024 and 2025 World Mixed Doubles Championship will decide seven countries that will join Italy in the field. Two more countries will come out of the Olympic Qualification Event in December 2025.

World Curling’s live-streaming platform The Curling Channel will be the only way to watch games from the World Mixed Doubles Championship, with all sheets being shown.

For Team Canada updates, go to www.curling.ca. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

For the latest scores, draw and list of teams, CLICK HERE.

The 2024 World Senior Men’s and Women’s Championships are also being played in Oestersund, with Canadian teams skipped by Susan Froud (Alliston, Ont.) and Paul Flemming (Halifax) looking to defend the gold medals won by Canadian teams in 2023. Canadian result stories from the 2024 World Seniors will be posted at www.curling.ca throughout the event.

The French version of this story will be posted as soon as possible at www.curling.ca/?lang=fr