24 April 2024

Sweden and Norway secure play-off spots at World Mixed Doubles

With one more day of round-robin action to come, the play-off qualification picture has started to take shape at the World Mixed Doubles Championship. Hosts Sweden became the first qualifiers, thanks to their 7-6 win over Australia on Wednesday afternoon. Later they were joined by Norway, following their extra end 6-5 win over Switzerland.

Group A

Norway were 7-4 winners in their morning game against Italy, while Switzerland suffered their first loss of the event in their game against Denmark (4-9).

Norway and Switzerland then met in the evening session, and Norway stole a single in the extra end to emerge as winners. With this result, Norway qualified for the play-offs.

Germany faced Türkiye in the evening after both teams had lost in the morning. In the seventh end, with Germany leading by 5-4, their female player Lena Kapp missed an attempted hit for three to give up a steal of one, 5-5. However, Germany went on to win by 8-5.

France played Japan in the evening. In the third end, with Japan ahead by 2-0, France’s female player Kseniya Shevchuk played a hit to score four and give her team a 4-2 lead. 

This game then went to an extra end before France scored one to emerge as 8-7 winners. 

Afterwards, Shevchuk said, “We wanted to play really well and I think we improved our performance for this game.”

Denmark faced Spain in the evening after Spain had recorded their first win so far with a 10-6 victory over France in the morning. 

Spain were ahead by 6-5 after five ends but Denmark completed a recovery and eventually won, 10-7 win.

In the fifth game of the evening, Estonia were up against Italy. Earlier Estonia had beaten Germany by 10-2 and they went on to win this game by 8-6.

Group B

The Group B teams only had one session on Wednesday.

The game between table-toppers Sweden and Australia was tight until the end.

In the eighth end, with the score tied at 6-6, Sweden’s Isabella Wranaa played a nose-hit to score one and win the game by 7-6. This victory maintained their unbeaten record with a seventh win, and gave the Swedes the first qualification slot.

Canada sit behind Sweden in second place, and they played China in this session. 

This game was also tight, with the scores tied at 4-4 in the seventh end. In that end, China’s Yang Ying attempted a raise to score one, but she missed her target to give Canada a steal of two and a 6-4 lead. Canada then went on to win by 10-4.

Elsewhere in this session, Czechia faced United States. It was the Czechs who led by 5-4 as the teams played the eighth end. In that end Zuzana Paulova played a double take-out to score two and take the win, 7-4.

Netherlands were up against Korea. In the eighth end, with the Dutch ahead by 6-5, Korea’s Kim Jiyoon played a draw into the house to score two points and take the win, 7-6.

In the fifth game of the session, Scotland played New Zealand. In the seventh end, with the Scots leading by 5-3, their female played Sophie Jackson played a hit to score four, for a 9-3 lead. The New Zealanders then conceded, to leave themselves still looking for a first win, and now in real danger of relegation.

Click here for the standings after day five.

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