Live Blog: Day four at the WWCC

Not a bad day of curling, eh?

Don’t worry, we’ll be back in less than 11 hours’ time to bring you another day of LGT World Women’s Curling Championship action in Sandviken, Sweden. Feel free to join us!

Check out the standings after four days of round-robin play at the #WWCC2023

👇👇👇👇👇#Curling pic.twitter.com/fBpCGlnamj

— World Curling (@worldcurling) March 21, 2023

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by World Curling Federation (@worldcurling)

RESULTS | Session 11

Any surprises? 🤔#Curling #WWCC2023 pic.twitter.com/2NJkIULzeP

— World Curling (@worldcurling) March 21, 2023

Scotland can’t quite get the deuce to force an extra end and Italy take another win here in Sandviken.

What a week Stefania Constantini and her teammates are having.

“I think it was important to get a good start,” the Italian skip said. “We felt like our throws were really good but Scotland bounced back quickly. It was a tight game but we’re happy to come out the win.”

“I like playing under pressure. It helps me keep focussed. Today, we managed them pretty well and we get a second win – a really good day.”

Actually, it’s not the skip. We have second Agnes Knochenhauer to discuss her team’s win over Japan.

“It was pretty scary before the time-out,” said Knochenhauer. “Our coach saw the shot and it was important to make it. Luckily we did.

“We felt comfortable with the hammer coming home. We know that if we give her a good shot in the end, she will make it.

“After this morning’s game, it was pretty upsetting losing. We had a good chat and came back with lots of focus. Now we feel ready to keep getting better.”

A to-and-fro match but Sweden get the upper hand over long-time rivals Japan. Can this kick-start a run to the play-offs for Team Anna Hasselborg? They currently sit on a 3-3 record. We’ll hear from the skip shortly.

Back-to-back steals of one for Japan has levelled things up at 4-4 against Sweden.

Skip Anna Hasselborg missed her attempted double take-out, which would have left three Swedish stones lying. But they keep the hammer for the final end.

On the other side of the rink, Stefania Constantini’s hit for one extends their lead to 7-5 over Scotland. Can Rebecca Morrison find something with her team’s last eight stones?

And here’s skip Kerri Einarson’s thoughts after they improved their record to 5-2 in Sandviken.

“They made a ton of shots in the first half,” said the Canadian. “Becker got her team out of trouble a few times.”

“We just get used to that feeling,” on playing at another World Women’s Curling Championship. “To wear the Maple Leaf on our back on the world stage gets more comfortable but by no way is it easy – my brain never switches off.

“It is so special to have my parents and husband here. Our friends are also here and their having so much fun.”

After suffering defeat to Switzerland earlier today, Canada’s Team Kerri Einarson make an immediate return to winning ways with a 10-4 victory over New Zealand. That’s their fifth triumph this week.

A steal of two in the eighth end is enough for Bridget Becker to offer handshakes.

In fact, Denmark have offered handshakes after that deuce from United States. Despite winning their opening couple of draws, that’s now four losses in a row for Madeleine Dupont’s rink. There’s still time to bounce back with six round-robin games left for the Danes.

For Tabitha Peterson, that’s a second win today and fourth win overall. Good day’s work.

United States’ overall shot percentage before this session was 82% – tied second with Canada and Italy, demonstrating some close losses this week.

This team is a new combination of experienced world championship and Olympic performers. A victory here over European champions would give them a winning record of 4-3.

And a lead of 7-2 going into the eighth will do nicely for Tabitha Peterson’s outfit.

JoshArtelle: I’m rooting for @TeamHasselborg but I would be very happy if Team Fujisawa won🥇

Diana75: I’m cheering for Canada today but it makes my heart happy seeing the silver fern on the ice at #WWCC2023

MTrulsen: Huge win for Türkiye earlier. Sets up a very important Japan v Sweden showdown tonight. One will hit four losses very early on. Never saw that coming.

Get involved by tweeting to #WWCC2023

Five ends down, another five to go in this evening’s session. Let’s take a look at the scores…

Sweden 3-1 Japan

New Zealand 3-6 Canada

Italy 4-3 Scotland

United States 4-2 Denmark

Sweden 🇸🇪 are in big trouble, but a straight run-back from Anna Hasselborg earns them a great result. 😮

Watch live on the Curling Channel at https://t.co/fy3vfdBx89#WWCC2023 #curling pic.twitter.com/xIjjvGG976

— World Curling (@worldcurling) March 21, 2023

It would be prudent not to provide a fact file on New Zealand. After all, this is their first appearance at a World Women’s Curling Championship. They might be without a win (so far), but they’ve provided some terrific entertainment inside the Göransson Arena this week. Let’s find out some more about the rink…

Skip: Jessica Smith

As we reported in November 2022, Jess was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Happily, she confirmed then that after medication and tests, she had had the all-clear and was able to resume her curling career. The 25-year-old nurse from Invercagill is a big fan of Sweden’s Agnes Knochenhauer and loves photography.

Third: Holly Thompson

The 24-year-old receptionist has been curling for a dozen years and has a masters in Zoology. She played at the 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games and idolises tennis legend Roger Federer.

Second: Bridget Becker

The eldest player on the team, Becker has a huge amount of experience on New Zealand’s curling circuit. A lover of all sports, her sporting idols are her parents.

Lead: Natalie Thurlow

Thurlow curls out of Alexandra Curling Club and day-to-day is a farmer. The 41-year-old lead has been curling for 27 years and fancies herself as quite the gardener.

Alternate: Ruby Kinney

The youngest member of the rink, Kinney was born in Dunedin and is currently studying for a degree in architecture. She has already played a few games here in Sandviken, but when not on the ice, she loves hockey and horse riding.

Italy’s Stefania Constantini produces a delightful light take-out to score three in the second end against Scotland. On the next sheet, United States have taken an early 3-0 lead over Denmark.

In front of a bay of home supporters, Sweden have taken a slender 1-0 lead against familiar opponents Japan. Before January, Team Anna Hasselborg had won ten-straight games against Team Fujisawa Satsuki – but the latter finally ended the streak with victory at the Canadian Open.

As we mentioned earlier, we’ve reached the halfway point of the round-robin stage (well, apart from Sweden and Denmark). Who has been the best performers in Sandviken so far?

Lead: Giulia Zardini Lacedelli (Italy) and Briane Harris (Canada) – 90%

Second: Shannon Birchard (Canada) and Mille Haslev Nordbye (Norway) – 84%

Third: Silvana Tirinzoni (Switzerland) and Cory Thiesse (United States) – 82%

Fourth: Alina Paetz (Switzerland) – 88%

To quote Muirhead once again (it won’t be the last time this evening – why wouldn’t we use the insight of such an accomplished curler?): “There’s no one you’d want to throw your last stones other than Alina Paetz at the minute.”

Jennifer Dodds, who played second in Great Britain’s Olympic gold medal-winning rink, has come into the Scotland quartet at third for their tie against Italy. Her former skip Eve Muirhead, who is commentating back home, knows a thing or two about her…

Interestingly, Dodds is sweeping Rebecca Morrison’s stones. According to Muirhead, she is the “best sweeper in the world”.

Tonight the second half of the round-robin begins with Session 11 at the #WWCC2023

🇸🇪 Sweden v Japan 🇯🇵
🇳🇿 New Zealand v Canada 🇨🇦
🇮🇹 Italy v Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
🇺🇸 United States v Denmark 🇩🇰

✍️: https://t.co/Rdpjzp2hTj
📺: https://t.co/fy3vfdBx89

📸 WCF / @Fishersnaps #Curling pic.twitter.com/AoBxOJ2gXj

— World Curling (@worldcurling) March 21, 2023

Not long now until session 11 gets underway in the Göransson Arena. Here’s how things are looking at the round robin’s halfway stage…

RESULTS | Session 🔟

How do you like these results? 🥳😊🫤😖😱#Curling #WWCC2023 pic.twitter.com/wlev5pm0br

— World Curling (@worldcurling) March 21, 2023

Türkiye’s Dilsat Yildiz spoke to us after her team’s 7-4 triumph over the two-time Olympic medallists Japan.

“This game was massive for us,” the skip said. “We now have our confidence and want to get more wins. We want to reach the play-offs still.

“We have six games to go and we can still move up the standings. We have to keep playing well and keep getting that winning feeling.

“This is our second worlds. We had two wins last year and wanted to come here and improve. Every time we come back, we want to move up and improve.”

Japan appeared to find their groove after three successive wins but Türkiye have stopped them in their tracks. A wonderful display from Dilsat Yildiz and her team. A two-point steal in the penultimate end was the difference-maker. Full credit to Türkiye.

Six games. Six wins. Switzerland can’t be stopped. Canada pushed them right to the end but couldn’t get over the line. Who knows, we could see this one again…? Here’s skip Silvana Tirinzoni’s post-match reaction to her team’s 7-6 victory.

“Alina played great but the other three of us just couldn’t perform and we struggled,” she said. “Happy with the win but not the performance.

“We have to analyse our display and understand why we didn’t play well. The ice is good and we should be able to handle it better.

“Finishing in the top two is key. We are starting to think that way and we are in a good position.”

And that’s also a win for Korea. A draw to the eight foot secures a single point and gives Ha Seungyoun’s rink a 4-2 win over Germany.

That’s job done on day four for Norway as they collect a win in their only game of the day. An open hit leaves Scotland with not enough stones and they win 9-6 over Rebecca Morrison’s rink.

Marianne Roervik’s team progress their record to 4-2 after playing half their round-robin games.

“It was tough to lose last night but it was great to bounce back today,” said Roervik. “It feels good.

“We’re very happy with our four wins. If we can play as well as we just did, that would be great. But we still have a long way to go.”

No team is running away with it at the moment on ice with all four match-ups staying close.

While Türkiye may have ran out winners in their previous affair with Japan, a victory today – especially after Japan’s run of victories – would be a stellar achievement. Dilsat Yildiz’s team are currently tied up at 4-4 against Fujisawa and co.

Remember, the top six rinks will qualify for a play-off spot – and we know from before that it can go right to the wire.

Did you know we’re now on TikTok? It’s just another way you can engage with the World Curling Federation during the LGT World Women’s Curling Championship 2023.

Check out our following pages on TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Weibo and by searching the hashtags #WWCC2023 #curling

Shannon Birchard 🇨🇦 turns the end on its head with a spectacular triple take-out. 😮

Watch live on the Curling Channel at https://t.co/fy3vfdBx89#WWCC2023 #curling pic.twitter.com/T8XLlKUjWk

— World Curling (@worldcurling) March 21, 2023

Scotland 3-5 Norway

Rebecca Morrison gets her rink back into the tie with a two-ender in the fifth.

Germany 1-3 Korea

Ha Seungyoun is forced to take one just before the break. Can Daniela Jentsch and co respond in the second half?

Canada 4-5 Switzerland

A mistake from Kerri Einarson before the break gave Alina Paetz a draw to the eight foot to grab three points. Swiss coach Pierre Charette wants them to put their A-game into action.

Japan 2-4 Türkiye

Dilsat Yildiz has skipped her team to a lead over the Olympic medallists – can they replicate their assured display in the next five ends?

On commentary, Joanne Courtney believes Norway are going under the radar this week.

The quartet, who picked up the last qualifying spot at the Le Gruyère AOP European Curling Championships, currently boast a 3-2 record – but were inches away from a big win over Canada yesterday.

The Marianne Roervik-skipped rink are currently leading Scotland 5-1 on Sheet A.

Here’s Alina Paetz doing Alina Paetz things…

It’s a characteristically perfect shot from Alina Paetz 🇨🇭 who gets the weight spot-on for a freeze on top four. 👌

Watch live on the Curling Channel at https://t.co/fy3vfdC4XH#WWCC2023 #curling pic.twitter.com/qB7eOuGtZ9

— World Curling (@worldcurling) March 21, 2023

Our next trip back in time takes us across the Oeresund Bridge to Denmark for the 2011 event.

Hosted in Esbjerg’s Granly Hockey Arena, legend Anette Norberg won her third and final world title in stunning fashion. A steal of two in the tenth and final end gave Sweden a 7-5 win over Canada.

The only players returning a dozen years later in Sandviken are the Norwegian pair Kristin Skaslien and Marianne Roervik.

A draw to the four foot from Kerri Einarson gives Canada an early 2-0 lead over front-runners Switzerland. To put that score into context, in the Swiss’ previous five games this week, they’ve conceded only 13 points, an average of 2.6 a game.

On the next sheet, Germany’s attempt to blank the opening end has gone awry and they are forced to take one by Japan. Meanwhile, Kristin Skaslien’s hit secures a deuce for Norway over Scotland.

What’s the head-to-head records for those involved in session ten? Let’s find out…

Team Fujisawa Satsuki lost their only previous affair 8-5 against Türkiye’s Dilsat Yildiz at an Olympic qualification event in 2021.

All three encounters between Marianne Roervik’s and Rebecca Morrison’s rinks have occurred this season, with the Scots edging the battle with two wins.

It’s no surprise that this isn’t the first time Kerri Einarson and Silvana Tirinzoni have faced off. The defending world champions lead 13-10 in victories, with six-straight wins coming into this afternoon’s match-up.

While this is the first time these particular German and Korean rinks have come up against one another.

Let’s go…

Have you downloaded the official event app? There’s so many ways you can follow all the action at the LGT World Women’s Curling Championship 2023. Aside from this live blog, our fantastic social media channels, all of the games on the Curling Channel, our online features and much more, there’s also an app you can download.

Powered by Geztio in cooperation with Swedish Curling.

SWE Curling on App Store

SWE Curling on Google Play

Can you believe we’ve reached the 10th draw already? It’s heating up here at the LGT World Women’s Curling Championship in Sandviken, Sweden.

Here’s what we’ve got coming up this afternoon…

Scotland v Norway

Germany v Korea

Canada v Switzerland

Japan v Türkiye

Time to grab a quick cup of tea (or your choice of beverage) and a biscuit (or your choice of a hot-drink-dipping snack). We’ll be back for the next session – which you don’t want to miss…

P.S. It includes an alluring match-up between Switzerland and Canada!

RESULTS | Session 9⃣#Curling #WWCC2023 pic.twitter.com/yFus51jOqe

— World Curling (@worldcurling) March 21, 2023

And it’s victory number four for Italy as they run out 7-5 winners over European champions Denmark. It keeps them at the business end of the standings after playing half their games.

“This was a really important win for us,” said skip Stefania Constantini. “We managed the scoreboard much better and that was crucial for the victory.

“We want to reach the play-offs – but let’s see what happens.”

Daniela Jentsch spoke to Joanne Courtney to give her post-match thoughts…

“I could hardly see the shot,” said Jentsch, describing her last stone. “I just made a similar shot and knew it would curl if we just played it a little harder – and it worked.

“I couldn’t find my draw weight yesterday but today felt a lot better. I think we’re on the right track now.”

How about that? Silence in the arena.

Daniela Jentsch’s last-stone tap gives Germany five and the victory. A truly assured performance to beat the Olympic champions in their back yard. That’s only the third time they’ve beaten them in their previous 23 encounters.

Another W for Germany puts them at 3-2 this week. We’ll hear from the skip shortly…

A brilliant end for Germany 🇩🇪 culminates in Daniela Jentsch making a wonderful tap for a massive five points. 🙌

Watch live on the Curling Channel at https://t.co/fy3vfdBx89#WWCC2023 #curling pic.twitter.com/PrlraZoBup

— World Curling (@worldcurling) March 21, 2023

Nothing like an early morning on the ice…

Two games remain on ice – but not much separates them.

After eight, Italy lead Denmark 5-4 and have last-stone advantage going into the penultimate end. Meanwhile, a great last-stone tap to lie one means Sweden trail 4-3 against Germany.

We have quite a few local school children in the arena this morning and they’re getting right behind Sweden here.

That’s back-to-back wins for Tabitha Peterson’s rink as they claim a 7-1 victory in six ends over New Zealand. The Americans now register a 3-3 record.

“We came out firing,” said the skip. “Everybody played well up and down the line-up.”

On the decision to slot Vicky Persinger into the quarter once again, she told us: “We pre-planned to put Vicky in. It’s 12 games and a long week. She’s a great shooter and fits in great in the team.”

United States will return to the ice and face off against Denmark tonight.

The draw percentages is probably the difference-maker between Germany and Sweden at the break. But the scores are close and Daniela Jentsch will have control of the hammer in the sixth.

We’re halfway through this morning’s draw, let’s take a look at the scores…

Denmark 2-3 Italy

A hit for two gives Stefania Constantini and co the lead before the break.

New Zealand 1-6 United States

Another all-action game involving New Zealand but it’s the Americans in charge after five.

Germany 1-2 Sweden

A missed opportunity for two in the fifth end with Anna Hasselborg’s draw running long.

Like a magic trick, Emira Abbes gives the house a makeover…

Not happy with the staggered guards, Emira Abbes 🇩🇪 is on a mission and removes all three stones to open things up. 👊

Watch live on the Curling Channel at https://t.co/fy3vfdBx89#WWCC2023 #curling pic.twitter.com/m8iXCLcU3n

— World Curling (@worldcurling) March 21, 2023

Competing on home ice is something Sweden have been relishing for a long time now. Before the LGT World Women’s Curling Championship got underway on Saturday, Anna Hasselborg and Sara McManus spoke to SVT about their season so far and objectives this week.

“The European Championship gold on home soil in Helsingborg 2019 was one of the highlights of our careers, so we really hope for something similar now. That would be cool,” said Hasselborg, who alongside second Agnes Knochenhauer, is pregnant.

Vice-skip McManus gave birth in January, and the team has tested seven different line-ups this season but now has its more familiar quartet back. 

“I think I come in with a lot of energy. Right now, we’re enjoying being the four of us at the core again. We’re damn good when we’re good and have a lot of routine, at the same time it’s important to step in with great humility in the face of this with two players who are pregnant and me as a relatively new kid,” McManus said.

Denmark are on the board after Madeleine Dupont’s pin-point, in-turn tap to lie two which avoids the jam and gives her team the lead. The European champions have had a stop-start campaign thus far.

Into the fourth end…

This is the 45th world women’s championship to be staged, with the first held in Perth, Scotland in 1979. How do our countries fare over nearly half a century of competing?

Canada are the most successful nation with 17 world titles, followed by Switzerland’s nine (seven of which have come in the last decade). In third spot we have Sweden, who have won eight gold medals in their time.

Norway, Scotland and Germany have all lifted the championship trophy twice, with United States and Denmark one-time winners.

United States claim the only score in the opening ends, taking a one-ender over New Zealand.

Blanked first ends in the Denmark-Italy and Sweden-Germany contests.

As expected with Sweden on the ice, Göransson Arena has a sea of yellow to cheer on their home team. Yesterday, Anna Hasselborg said the crowd felt like a fifth player – can they utilise that outstanding support today? The mascot is certainly playing their part…

On Sheet B this morning we have Denmark versus Italy, two sides who have crossed paths a few times over the years. In the last year’s Le Gruyère AOP European Curling Championships, Madeleine Dupont skipped her rink to a 9-2 win over Team Stefania Constantini. In fact, the Danish foursome have won the last four games in which these two teams have contested.

This New Zealand outfit have met Tabitha Peterson’s United States rink once before at the inaugural Pan Continental Curling Championships, staged in Calgary, Canada in November 2022. It was the Americans who ran out 9-2 winners on that occasion.

The history books do not make for comfortable reading if you’re a Germany fan this morning. This will be the 23rd meeting between skips Daniela Jentsch and Anna Hasselborg, with the Swedish Olympic champions winning 20 times.

We have two more hours until the first session of the day begins.

Why not watching some highlights from earlier games until then?

Click here to do so.

Good morning!

It’s Day 4⃣ at the LGT World Women’s Curling Championship 2023

Our morning games:

🇩🇰 Denmark v Italy 🇮🇹
🇳🇿 New Zealand v United States 🇺🇸
🇩🇪 Germany v Sweden 🇸🇪

✍️: https://t.co/Rdpjzp2hTj
📺: https://t.co/fy3vfdBx89#Curling #WWCC2023

📸 WCF / @Fishersnaps pic.twitter.com/rWA1sqxEJI

— World Curling (@worldcurling) March 21, 2023