In the first extra-end of the Pacific-Asia Curling Championships 2019 Korea, became the first team to beat the hosts, China, by 7-6.
This, matched with Japan’s 15-2 victory over Australia, puts these three teams at the top of the women’s standings at the end of day three in Shenzhen, China.
China, Japan and Korea have now all played four games and won three.
Four-foot draw
In this tensely fought game, In the third end, Korea’s skip Un Chi Gim executed a hit-and-stick, despite touching her own stone as it entered the house, which opened her team’s points tally and levelled the scores at 1-1. Then in the fifth end, Gim, played a tap-and-roll for three points and a 4-2 advantage.
With the game tied at 6-6, after ten ends, in the extra-end Gim had to draw her final stone into the four-foot ring to score a point and secure the victory. She did and Korea won 7-6.
Afterwards, she said, “We didn’t think too much about the results and I just focused on my last shot. We feel we’re getting better and will do our best in the remaining games to get into the play-offs.”
In Japan’s game, fourth player Ikue Kitazawa delivered an open draw securing her team three points, in the fourth end, on the way to her team’s table-topping, 15-2, victory. Such a win was also helped by scoring four points in each of the fifth and seventh ends.
Japan’s skip said improvement from the day’s earlier game was vital for securing this win, “We played this morning’s game with low percentages, it just wasn’t very good. So, tonight we were really focused to make shots and increase our percentage.”
Lead changes hands
Also during the session, Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei were locked in a closely matched game where the lead changed hands on multiple occasions. In the fifth end, Chinese Taipei’s skip, Heidi Lin, made a hit for two point giving her team the lead, at 6-5.
However, in the end, following steals in the seventh and eighth ends, it was Hong Kong who were victorious, by 9-7.
Afterwards Hong Kong’s skip Ling-Yue Hung said, “It was a very tough game, we were never really in control. But, I just focused on my mechanics and didn’t worry about the result.”
Lastly, Kazakhstan posted their second win of the day against Qatar. Kazakhstan scored four points in the first end, then followed this up with one in the second, two in the third and three in the fourth end to build a strong lead. This was on the way to their 15-6 win.
Results session four: Hong Kong 9-7 Chinese Taipei; Qatar 6-15 Kazakhstan; Japan 15-2 Australia; Korea 7-6 China.
Standings after session four
China 3-1
Japan 3-1
Korea 3-1
Hong Kong 2-2
Kazakhstan 2-2
Chinese Taipei 2-2
Australia 1-3
Qatar 0-4
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