World Wheelchair Live Blog: Day six
World Wheelchair Curling Championship 2023, Richmond, Canada © WCF / Cheyenne Boone
Watching Grandpa
“There’s Grandpa!” said a little voice behind the glass.
Canada’s Dennis Thiessen had a number of supporters cheering for him and his teammate Collinda tonight, including one who was very proud to tell people she was watching grandpa.
Thiessen reflected on the support after the game saying, “I knew they were coming and I was so nervous the whole game, but I was thrilled that they were able to to take time off to come watch Grandpa.”
Setting The Scene For Mixed Doubles
While there are officials here to assist the curlers in setting the stones before each end, the players do it themselves most of the time! Here you can see Poland and Slovakia adjusting the stones on the right side of the sheet to set up Poland’s power play.
Sneak Peek of Halftime Action
If you’ve ever wondered what halftime looks like here at the World Wheelchairs, take a peek!
First off, it’s very quiet. All of the teams return to their coach’s bench and discuss strategy with their support team. While the teams are in their huddles, the ice crew do quick brushes of the ice to ensure that it’s clean for the second half of the session. At the same time, the volunteers organize the stones on the side of each sheet so that they are ready to be thrown by the players.
Some call it a halftime break, but there’s still so much happening!
Scores So Far
Tonight has flown by! Here are your current scores:
- Italy 6-3 Japan
- Germany 2-5 England
- Korea 6-2 Denmark
- Canada 6-4 Sweden
- Finland 1-8 Norway
- Poland 2-4 Slovakia
Last Session of Day Six!
Today is the first three-draw day of the week, which means that we are now in the last session of Day Six!
Sheet A: Italy v Japan
Sheet B: Germany v England
Sheet C: Korea v Denmark
Sheet D: Canada v Sweden
Sheet E: Finland v Norway
Sheet F: Poland v Slovakia
Smiling Sweden Qualify for Play-Offs!
Sweden qualify for World Wheelchair play-offs in Richmond! 🇸🇪#WWhCC2023 pic.twitter.com/5ZnhpqckGF
— World Curling (@worldcurling) March 10, 2023
Scotland Make the Play-offs!
Scotland qualify for World Wheelchair play-offs in Richmond! 🏴#WWhCC2023 pic.twitter.com/M6q7BHJfub
— World Curling (@worldcurling) March 10, 2023
USA Qualify!
United States qualify for World Wheelchair play-offs in Richmond! 🇺🇸#WWhCC2023 pic.twitter.com/MZCpzIkVdm
— World Curling (@worldcurling) March 10, 2023
USA Making It Look Easy
United States’s Stephen Emt makes the hit and stick look easy!
Score Summary
Here are this session’s current scores:
- Denmark 1-5 Canada
- United States 3-3 Korea
- China 4-1 Norway
- Scotland 3-6 Italy
- Latvia 4-1 Japan
- Czech Republic 3-4 Sweden
Team Morale is Key
Morale: “The confidence, enthusiasm, and discipline of a person or group at a particular time.”
Team morale is key, especially when you have to play multiple games a day for multiple days. Here at the World Wheelchairs, the teams are constantly checking in with each other and sharing supportive feedback and gestures to ensure that everyone is checked into the game and feeling good.
"Right in the Middle"
As Scotland’s Hugh Nibloe headed down the ice to throw his shot, he shouted out to his teammate Gregor Ewan, “Right in the middle”, and that’s exactly what he did.
Are the Stones Listening?
As you have probably realized by now, wheelchair curling does not involve sweeping. This does not however stop the players from yelling “hard”, “whoa”, “curl” or other common curling phrases! It can make you wonder, are the stones listening?
Here We Go!
Session 11 of the World Wheelchairs is underway!
Sheet A is host to the Canada v Denmark game. Canada are currently leading 2-1, Denmark with hammer.
Unbelievable Shot!
The game between United States and Estonia was a nail-biter. United States had the hammer in the last end, as well as a buried stone in the four-foot, so Estonia’s Katlin Riidebach was forced to play a very difficult draw, needing to bite the button to have a chance at stealing…. AND SHE DID IT PERFECTLY!
She spoke after the game saying, “The time was ticking and I was watching (coach) Harri across the ice. When the shot made it, I was like yes!”
Thanks to Riidebach’s unbelievable shot, Estonia stole the win and move to 4-4 in the standings. United States are now at 5-3.
Switzerland Hit For the Win
It was such a close game between Poland and Switzerland. Poland did everything they could to steal the game, but Switzerland’s Beatrix Blauel made a perfect takeout to clinch the win.
Post-game handshakes were exchanged and a young volunteer’s day was made after Team Switzerland passed him a variety of chocolates and candies to say thank you.
Too Close to Call!
Team Scotland and Team Finland are neck and neck right now. This clip is after the sixth end. After a measure, Scotland (yellow stones) scored one point to take a 6-5 lead.
Score Update
This session’s games are nearing the eighth end already! Here are your scores as of now:
- Hungary 5-3 China
- Switzerland 4-1 Poland
- Finland 5-5 Scotland
- Slovakia 3-3 Norway
- Estonia 5-5 United States
Who Scored?
After all stones were thrown in the second end of play in the game between Switzerland and Poland, a measure was needed to determine who scored. Ultimately, it was close, but the red stone was deemed to be closer, and Switzerland took the point.
The score is now tied 1-1.
Estonia Open With Three
Mixed doubles teammates Katlin Riidebach and Mait Matas opened their game against United States with a score of three. The pair are currently sitting two around the four-foot, so the pressure is definitely on United States’s Pam Wilson to make her last shot count.
Good Morning From Richmond!
Good morning curling fans!
It’s a beautiful, sunny albeit chilly day here in Richmond. The first session of the day is already in motion. Here are your morning mixed doubles match-ups:
- Hungary v China
- Switzerland v Poland
- Finland v Scotland
- Slovakia v Norway
- Estonia v United States
