After dropping their opening game at the World Wheelchair Curling Championship in Richmond, B.C. on Saturday afternoon, Team Canada has quickly gotten back on track.
Canada -- which includes Moose Jaw Curling Centre competitor Gil Dash at second and 2018 Paralympic bronze medalist Marie Wright as alternate -- rebounded with an 8-2 win over Czechia in their second game Saturday before opening Day 2 with a 6-4 win over the United States on Sunday.
After falling to defending Paralympic Games gold medalist China in their first contest, things went far better in Canada’s second game against Czechia Saturday.
They wasted little time getting things going with three in the first end, and after taking a 4-1 lead in the third, a steal of three the following frame gave the tournament hosts control of the contest. Another steal in the fifth made it an 8-1 game, and after Czechia was held to a single point the next end, they’d opt to shake hands.
Things were far closer in their first game Sunday, as Canada would pick up deuces in the first and fourth ends to lead 4-1, but saw the U.S. pick up single points the next two frames to make it a one-point game heading into the seventh. There, Canada picked up an all-important deuce to make it 6-3, and they’d hold the U.S. to a single point in the eighth to secure the win.
Playing alongside Dash and Wright are perennial Team Canada members in skip Jon Thurston, third Ina Forrest and lead Mark Ideson.
Team Canada opened the tournament with an 8-4 loss to China, but made things plenty interesting in the process.
Canada got off to a bit of a rough start, as a deuce in the fourth end and steal in the fifth gave China a 4-1 lead through five. Cue the comeback, though, as Canada scored one in the sixth and stole points in the seventh and eighth to tie the game 4-4. That sent things to an extra end, where China would score four to secure the win.
Canada is back in action during the evening draw Sunday when they take on Latvia (1-2).
Canada’s 2-1 record is good enough for third place, tied with Japan and Korea and a win back of unbeaten China and Norway.
Team Canada continued their tournament run against Japan and Norway on Monday, Italy and Scotland on Tuesday, Korea and Sweden on Wednesday and Denmark in their lone game on Thursday, The qualification games take place Friday, followed by the semifinals Saturday and medal games Sunday.
Wright and Dash will also be in action with Team Saskatchewan during the Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championships, beginning Mar. 19 at the Moose Jaw Curling Centre.
Be sure to check back for plenty of world championship updates throughout the week, and follow along with the action at www.worldcurling.org.
