Denmark, Hungary and Russia all started their campaigns with wins in Sunday afternoon’s second round-robin session of Mixed Doubles at the OQE2021, being held in Leeuwarden, Netherlands.
In their game against Turkey, the Danes moved into an early 4-0 lead after a steal of three in the second end. In the fourth end, it was Denmark’s turn to give up a steal – for two, when Jasmin Lander got her angles wrong. This tied the game, 4-4, at the halfway break. Eventually, Denmark’s Lander was able to draw her last stone of the eighth end to the button to score three points and win, 8-7.
After this win, Denmark were elated and relieved, “It was an amazing feeling because I knew there was so much on the line – just seeing the stone coming into the one-foot was just perfect. Such a relief!” said Lander.
The new Russian pairing of Aleksei Timofeev and Anna Sidorova were making their debut at a world event in this session. They opened strongly, scoring two points in the first end, despite Sidorova’s last stone not being able to add to their score. Russia then went on to lead by 6-0 at the break, but in the fifth end, Spain’s Oihane Otaegu was able to play a nose-hit for two, to open her team’s account and reduce Russia’s lead to 6-2. A Russian steal of two points in the seventh, when Otaegu missed her final shot, took the score to 9-2 for Russia, and Spain conceded.
After the game, Sidorova said, “We were both really nervous because it’s the first worlds for our pair. We’re a new pair, and we needed that win for a bit more confidence in ourselves.”
Hungary’s two-time world champions Palancsa Dorottya and Kiss Zsolt opened their campaign against Germany. They scored in each of the first four ends to take a 6-0 lead into the break. Germany used their power play in the fifth end and Pia-Lisa Schoell was able to draw her last stone into the house to open Germany’s score with one point, to reduce Hungary’s lead to 6-1.
The Germans then had a single steal in the sixth, but two more points for Hungary in the seventh persuaded the Germans to concede, with a final score of 8-2.
Speaking later, Kiss Zsolt said, “That was okay, the first two ends were really close. I think it’s quite challenging on this ice to make come-arounds. You have to be really precise.” He added, “I think we put the pressure on them, we had good set-ups, but we had a bit of luck too, I have to admit.”
Australia, the seventh team in Group A sat out this session.
Results: Russia 9-2 Spain; Turkey 7-8 Denmark; Germany 2-8 Hungary
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