After five days of round-robin play, the play-off scenarios are settled at the Pacific-Asia Curling Championships.
In the first women’s session on Thursday morning, hosts Kazakhstan played Hong Kong. With a score of three in the sixth end and a steal of one in the ninth, Kazakhstan won 9-6 and secured their semi-final spot. This guarantees the host nation their first ever international curling medal.
“I don’t know what to say! I am so happy!” said Kazakhstan skip, Angelina Ebauyer. “For us, it’s been step by step for five years and our goal was to medal.”
In the final women’s session of the double round-robin format, Hong Kong faced Korea. The Koreans, skipped by Eun-Jung Kim, won 9-1, which puts them in second overall in the standings.
Since Japan and Korea had the same overall record, and they both beat each other once, the number one spot came down to the cumulative Draw Shot Challenge (DSC). With Japan having the better DSC, they received a place in the gold medal game on Saturday (13 November) at 14.00. Korea and Kazakhstan will play in the semi-final on Friday (12 November) at 09.00.
The winner of this game will face Japan while the loser will earn the bronze medals.
Two spots at the BKT Tires & OK Tire World Women’s Curling Championship 2022 are available for the Member Association of the gold and silver medallists.
Kazakhstan and Chinese Taipei men make semi-finals
Joining the two previously qualified teams – Japan and Korea – are hosts, Kazakhstan and Chinese Taipei.
In the only men’s session of the day, Korea narrowly defeated Chinese Taipei 9-8, Hong Kong beat Kazakhstan 9-1 and Japan won over Qatar 15-1.
With their losses, Kazakhstan and Chinese Taipei levelled their record at 3-3 and with the help of a better DSC than Hong Kong – also having a 3-3 win-loss record – they advance to the semi-finals.
Now, first-place and undefeated Japan will play Chinese Taipei on Friday at 14.00 while Korea will meet Kazakhstan at 09.00.
The winners of the semi-finals will move onto the gold medal game on Saturday at 14.00 and the bronze medal game will be held at 09.00.
In the men’s division, only the champion will qualify for the LGT World Men’s Curling Championship 2022 as China finished in last place at the World Championship in 2021, relegating a spot for the Pacific-Asia Zone.
Results
Women’s session 13: Kazakhstan 9-6 Hong Kong
Men’s session 14: Japan 15-1 Qatar; Korea 9-8 Chinese Taipei; Kazakhstan 1-9 Hong Kong
Women’s session 15: Hong Kong 1-9 Korea
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