After losing their opening game to China back on Saturday afternoon, Team Canada has been all but lights out at the World Wheelchair Curling Championship.
As a result, Moose Jaw’s Gil Dash and Marie Wright have a serious chance of coming home with a medal from the 12-team event in Richmond, B.C.
Dash is playing second for skip Jon Thurston alongside third Ina Forrest and lead Mark Ideson. Wright -- the 2018 Paralympic Games bronze medalist -- is the fifth player for the tournament.
Holding a 3-1 record heading into action Monday, Canada rolled to a 7-4 win over Japan’s Takashi Sakataya and followed up with back-to-back three-enders in the sixth and seventh to take a 10-3 victory over Norway’s Jostein Stordahl.
It was more of the same on Tuesday, as Canada roared out to a 6-2 lead through five ends and would go on to a 6-4 win over Italy’s Egidio Marchese in their opening draw. Things were even more dominant in the evening match against Scotland’s Hugh Nibloe, where Canada stole two in the second and three in the third to build a 6-0 lead and cruise to an 8-1 victory.
China dropped a 7-4 decision to Italy in their second game on Monday, meaning Team Canada is tied for first place with a 7-1 record. Korea is third at 6-2 and Norway fourth at 5-3, with three teams tied for fifth place at 4-4.
Canada has three round-robin games remaining on their schedule, including an important showdown against Korea’s Lee Hyeonchyul in the afternoon draw Wednesday and a tilt with Sweden’s Viljo Petersson-Dahl (4-4) in the nightcap. Canada then wraps up the preliminary round against Denmark’s Kenneth Oerbaek (2-6) in their lone game Thursday.
Qualification games take place on Friday, followed by the semifnials Saturday and championship final on Sunday.
Curling fans looking to see Team Canada in action live and in person, albeit on different teams, will have a chance to do so during the Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championship at the Moose Jaw Events Centre beginning Mar. 19. Dash and Wright are both members of Saskatchewan 1.
For up-to-date scores from the World Wheelchair Curling Championship, be sure ti visit www.worldcurling.org.
