Live Blog: Medal games at the #WMDCC2023
© WCF / Logan Hannigan-Downs
What a week it has been!
Thank you for following our live blog during the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship 2023!
Don’t forget, you can watch the replays of all games on The Curling Channel.
Post-game reactions
United States’ Cory Thisse said, “I can’t even believe it, I’m definitely still speechless right now. It definitely hasn’t sunk in yet, but it’s incredible. I’m just so proud of my partner, we had a great week and it’s just incredible.”
Talking about their preparation for the final, United States’ Korey Dropkin added, “I think it was just doing the same that we’ve been doing all week, just making sure we were ready physically and mentally.”
Japan’s Tanida Yasumasa said, “Today, our performance wasn’t great and they played really well. We started the week with eight wins in a row, so it was a fantastic week. And playing mixed doubles is very fun!”
For the record
WHAT A GAME! United States kept the pressure on and didn't let up! 🥇🥵
Congratulations to all medallists 🇺🇸🇯🇵🇳🇴 #WMDCC2023 pic.twitter.com/SnsEmS6Hfa
— World Curling (@worldcurling) April 29, 2023
Huge congratulations, United States, 2023 world champions!
WORLD CHAMPIONS! 🏆🇺🇸United States’ Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse win gold at the World Mixed Doubles! #WMDCC2023 pic.twitter.com/tGGszeP6vD
— World Curling (@worldcurling) April 29, 2023
Congratulations on a phenomenal week, Japan!
Congratulations to Japan’s Matsumura Chiaki and Tanida Yasumasa on earning silver at the World Mixed Doubles! 🥈🇯🇵#WMDCC2023 pic.twitter.com/OukTr1Agsw
— World Curling (@worldcurling) April 29, 2023
United States are the #WMDCC2023 champions 🏆!
A perfect nose hit by Cory Thiesse results in two points for United States in the seventh end.
At this point, Japan conceded the game with an 8-2 final result.
Japan settle for a single in six
Japan’s Matsumura Chiaki had a very difficult hit-and-roll attempt to take two points, but she couldn’t deliver it perfectly and Japan needed to settle for a single.
Japan 2, United States 6, playing the seventh.
Now it’s time for the Americans’ power-play!
United States steal a single in Japan's power-play end
Japan elected to use their power-play in the fifth end. A perfect set-up early on by the Americans forced Japan to draw for a single against two American counters.
However, Matsumura Chiaki was slightly heavy with her draw and Japan gave up a single.
Japan 1, United States 6, going into the sixth.
Two for United States in fourth
An amazing tap by Cory Thiesse with her last results in two points for the Americans.
They are leading the game, 5-1, at the half-time break.
A bit about team United States
Female player Cory Thiesse and male player Korey Dropkin are both experienced mixed doubles players.
Cory Thiesse won world bronze in 2019 with that-time partner, John Shuster. Korey Dropkin took part in two world mixed doubles championships.
Both of them have experience on the international stage in four-player curling as well. Cory Thiesse is an Olympian and took part in three world women’s championships. Korey Dropkin participated in three men’s worlds.
Their coach, Cath Overton-Clapham won three world medals for Canada in women’s curling, including a gold in 2008.
What they are playing for
Japan on the board with a single
Matsumura Chiaki removed the American shot stone with her last and stayed in shot position to pick up a single in the third.
Japan 1, United States 3, playing the fourth.
Shot watch
The tee looks very inviting for Tanida Yasumasa 🇯🇵 and he guides his stone there to sit nicely nestled in. 👏
Watch live on the Curling Channel at https://t.co/fy3vfdBx89#WMDCC2023 #curling pic.twitter.com/3Iaq5Kyu32
— World Curling (@worldcurling) April 29, 2023
Steal of two for the Americans
Matsumura Chiaki needed to draw to the button for a single in the second end, but came up just a bit short to give United States a steal of two points.
United States 3, Japan 0, going into the third end.
Shot watch
‘Perfect roll.’ 😍 Well played by Korey Dropkin who removes the top red and rolls inside to guard the shot stone for United States. 🇺🇸
Watch live on the Curling Channel at https://t.co/fy3vfdBx89#WMDCC2023 #curling pic.twitter.com/XEdBP6cQdh
— World Curling (@worldcurling) April 29, 2023
A bit about team Japan
Female player Matsumura Chiaki and male player Tanida Yasumasa represented Japan in last year’s world championship and finished ninth.
Tanida took part in three world men’s championships, finishing fourth in 2016 and in 2019. Matsumura participated in three women’s worlds, finishing also fourth in 2019.
Their coach, Ogasawara Ayumi, is a three-time Olympian as a player.
United States steal a single after a three-way measure
What a first end we had in the gold medal game!
After a three-way measure, it’s the Americans who put the first point on the board.
Gold medal game, here we go!
After the wamp-ups and pre-game practices, the teams are ready for the final!
Medal game details from the World Seniors
The World Senior Curling Championships 2023 came to a close in the nearby Gangneung Hockey Arena.
Read about the medal games here.
One more game to play in Gangneung
Only one game is left from the World Mixed Doubles 2023.
Join us at 2 pm (KST, which is UTC +9 hours) for the gold medal final.
Post-win reactions from Norway
Asked about his feelings, Mathias Braenden said, “Incredible! If you told me a couple of weeks ago, I’d be super happy. I think Thomas [our coach] helped us during the week and it worked out really good.”
Martine Roenning added, “That sounds good, yeah!”
Speaking of their power-play end, she added, “You know they’re gonna make some great shots because they’re just amazing players, so I think we were quite happy to get our one actually.”
And reflecting on her season that features winning world women’s silver and this bronze medal, she said, “That’s amazing, I wouldn’t have believed that if you told me when the season started. It’s great and I’m so honoured to be playing on such great teams.”
What a game it was!
A game of steals as Norway picks up the World Mixed Doubles bronze medals! 🇳🇴👏 #WMDCC2023 pic.twitter.com/cVtI0IOSgl
— World Curling (@worldcurling) April 29, 2023
Norway win World Mixed Doubles 🥉 medals
Canada’s Jennifer Jones had a very difficult task to score three with her last in the eighth, but her attempted double take-out removed only a guard.
Norway stole a single in this end and won the bronze medal game, 6-2.
Congratulations to Norway’s Martine Roenning and Braenden Mathias 🇳🇴 on winning #WMDCC2023 bronze! 🥉 pic.twitter.com/yopukuYozp
— World Curling (@worldcurling) April 29, 2023
A single for Norway with power-play
After a perfect freeze by Jennifer Jones with her last, Norway were forced to draw to the button. As Martine Roenning did that perfectly, an umpire’s measure was needed to decide that’s it’s only a single, due to that freeze by Jones.
Norway 5, Canada 2, playing the eighth.
Canada score a single with a perfect draw
Norway played an excellent end against the Canadian power-play, and were having five counters in the house when Jennifer Jones settled in the hack to play her last.
She drew to the button without a problem and scored a single.
Norway 4, Canada 2 after six. Now it’s time for the Norwegian power-play!
Shot watch
‘What a great shot!’ 🤩 Big weight from Mathias Braenden 🇳🇴 and he hits perfectly to make the double and spin the shooter back up.
Watch live on the Curling Channel at https://t.co/fy3vfdBx89#WMDCC2023 #curling pic.twitter.com/KKcPmibdNE
— World Curling (@worldcurling) April 29, 2023
One more on the board for Norway
Jennifer Jones’ attempted promotion take-out didn’t turn out the way the Canadians wanted it to and Norway stone a single in five.
It’s time for the Canadian power-play in six!
A single steal for the Norwegians
A missed line call on Jennifer Jones’ last stone resulted in a steal of one for Norway in the fourth.
Norway 3, Canada 1, going into the fourth-end break.
A single for Norway
Martine Roenning attempted a double take-out with her last stone for three points, but she could remove only one and needed to settle for a single.
Norway 2, Canada 1, after three ends.
A bit about team Canada
It’s hard to imagine a more decorated curling delegation than the Canadian one at this year’s World Mixed Doubles.
Female player Jennifer Jones is Olympic champion and four-time world women’s medallist, out of which she won gold twice.
Male player Brent Laing is a three-time world men’s champion.
Their coach, Glenn Howard and their national coach, Scott Pfeifer are four-time world men’s champions as players.
Canada tie the game with a single
Jennifer Jones made a difficult tap to score a single to tie the game at 1-1 in the second end.
Canada 🇨🇦 are facing a tricky situation, but trust Jennifer Jones to still find a way to score as she taps red onto red and pushes it just far enough for the single. 🙌
Watch live on the Curling Channel at https://t.co/fy3vfdBx89#WMDCC2023 #curling pic.twitter.com/aqzSXr3EnZ
— World Curling (@worldcurling) April 29, 2023
Shot watch
Just what Norway 🇳🇴 needed as Martine Roenning finds the path around the guard for a tap on her own stone that promotes it to lie shot. 😎
Watch live on the Curling Channel at https://t.co/fy3vfdBx89#WMDCC2023 #curling pic.twitter.com/NSKycweplz
— World Curling (@worldcurling) April 29, 2023
A single steal for Norway in the first
Norway got on the board with a single steal when Jennifer Jones’ double take-out attempt wasn’t successful.
Norway 1, Canada 0, playing the second end.
A bit about team Norway
This is the first World Mixed Doubles Championship for the Norwegian team, female player, Martine Roenning (23) and male player Mathias Braenden (23).
Both of them represented Norway in four-player European and world championships in the past.
Actually, 34 days ago Martine Roenning picked up silver medals with Team Roervik at the LGT World Women’s Curling Championship 2023 in Sandviken, Sweden.
Their coach, Thomas Loevold is a well-decorated former player. He won Olympic silver, two world men’s championship medals and four medals at the Europeans, including a gold.
Let's go!
Warm-ups and pre-game practices are completed, let the bronze medal game begin!
Good morning!
Welcome to the last day of the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship 2023 in the Gangneung Curling Centre!
We have two games left from the championship:
At 10 am, Norway will take on Canada for bronze medals.
At 2 pm, Japan and United States will battle it out for gold medals and the world title.
Watch both games live (or later as replays) on the Curling Channel.
All times are KST, which is UTC +9 hours.
