8 March 2024
Medal games set in Gangneung
The SD Biosensor World Wheelchair Curling Championship 2024 continued on Friday 8 March with the play-off stage.
In the afternoon, qualification games took place in the Gangneung Curling Centre, and they were followed by the semi-finals in the evening.
Qualification games
Korea saw Norway in one qualification game, while Latvia played Sweden in the other.
Korea vs Norway
Korea started with a score of two in the first, after a great angle tap by Yang Huitae with his last. After a Norwegian score of two in the second, Norway stole a single when the Korean double take-out attempt was not successful. After another Norwegian steal of one, the teams went into the break with 4-2, Norway leading.
In the fifth, Yang missed his take-out attempt and Korea gave up another point. After a blanked sixth, Korea scored a single after a hit by Yang.
In the eighth, Norway made a perfect take-out to score a single and move onto the semi-finals. Norway 6, Korea 3.
After their win, Norway’s Ole Fredrik Syversen said, “It was a tough game. They got a two in the first end, then we took back two, and we stole and stole and stole, it was our game plan. To make a center guard, and Mia had a perfect draw today, so we go around, then we guard and guard and that was our game plan which worked for us.”
Latvia vs Sweden
Sweden stole a single in the first after a missed hit-and-stick attempt by Agris Lasmans. In the second, Sweden stole three when Lasmans was heavy with his final draw. In the third, Latvia’s last draw wrecked on a guard to give up two. After a Latvian score of two in the fourth, the teams went into the break with 6-2, Sweden leading.
In the fifth, Latvia stole one when Sweden’s Marcus Holm wasn’t perfect with his double take-out attempt. In the sixth, Latvia stole two when Holm was light with his last.
Sweden were leading, 6-5, playing the seventh. In that end, Latvia’s last draw was perfect, Sweden couldn’t follow it up and they gave up a single, 6-6.
In the eighth end, Latvia’s double take-out attempt wasn’t successful and Sweden scored one without needing to throw their last. Sweden 7, Latvia 6 is the final result and Sweden moved onto the semi-finals.
Afterwards, Sweden’s Kristina Ulander said, “It feels great! It’s wonderful. It was a nice game, we started very good and then missed some stones and they came back and it was a tight game until the end. I was very nervous!”
Semi-finals
Norway versus China
China skip Wang Haitao had two perfect stones in the first end —first, a hit-and-roll, then, a draw— to score two. In the second, Jostein Stordahl made a hit-and-stay and Norway scored one.
The third end was blanked. In the fourth, Wang wrecked on a guard with his last to give up two and hand Norway a 3-2 lead at half-time.
After a Chinese score of one in the fifth, Norway scored two in the sixth for a 5-3 lead. In the seventh, Norway stole two when Wang was heavy with his draw attempt, 7-3. In the eighth, Norway ran China out of stones and grabbed a place in the final. Norway 7, China 3.
After their win, Norway’s Geir Arne Skogstad shared his feelings about their gold medal game qualification, “So awesome! I was there last time in 2008 and again, it’s just awesome. I can’t believe it! It’s emotional, it’s just like what we have trained and fought so hard for for the last year, two years. So it is just awesome. Looking very forward to the final tomorrow!”
Sweden versus Canada
The first end was blanked. In the second, Sweden stole one as Jon Thurston’s hit-and-roll attempt was unsuccessful. In the third, Thurston made a perfect hit-and-stay for one, 1-1.
In the fourth, Sweden’s Marcus Holm made a draw for one and a 2-1 lead at half-time. After a blanked fifth end, Canada scored two in the sixth to take the lead for the first time, 3-2.
In the seventh, Canada stole a single when Sweden’s Holm rolled out on his hit-and-stick attempt. Canada 4, Sweden 2 after seven.
In the eighth, Canada ran Sweden out of stones and qualified for the gold medal final. Sweden 2, Canada 4.
After the semi-final, Canada’s Gil Dash said, “I feel very emotional. It’s the second year for me to be at worlds, second final. Going for gold.
“The difference out there today was the calls that our skip was making, the shots that Ina and Jon pulled off, they were fantastic. And that made the difference!”, he added.
Tomorrow (9 March) will be the last day of competition and will see two medal games. Norway and Canada will play for gold medals and the world title, while China and Sweden will meet for the bronze medals at 11:00 (KST).
Click here for all the results and the playing schedule.
For information about streaming, click here.
Engage with the World Curling Federation during the SD Biosensor World Wheelchair Curling Championship 2024 on TikTok, X, Instagram, Facebook, and Weibo and by searching the hashtags #WWhCC and #wheelchaircurling
