Groups take shape after second day of World Mixed curling action

After two days of play at the first World Mixed Curling Championship Sweden (Group A), Germany (Group B), Russia (Group C) and Hungary (Group D) top their groups.

Each of these teams are undefeated with three wins from three. Also posting three victories are hosts Switzerland, in Group C, and Scotland, in Group D. Canada, who are in Group B, have played two and won two and are the final team that remain undefeated.

Swiss skip, Yannick Schwaller said after his team's session six win over Slovenia, which ended 4-3: "We want to win our group and we remain on course, but we also want to play better from game to game."

New Zealand posted their first win of the event during session five, on Sunday (13 September) morning. They beat England 7-5, with the last throw of the game. Skip, David Watt said: "That last shot was due to the sweepers, they saved it because it was curling hard. I love the ice here, if you throw hard you can get it to go straight, but I came closer to the guard than I wanted."

Also in Group C, Poland beat Czech Republic 6-3, while Russia won their game against Kazakhstan 10-3 in seven ends.

Sweden cemented their place at the top of the Group A with a third win. They beat Slovakia 7-5, while Lithuania and Italy won their first games of the competition. Lithuania edged past Romania, 6-5 and Italy beat Belgium 5-3.

All but one game in the sixth session of the World Mixed Curling Championship ended after sevens ends.

Belarus, Latvia, Scotland, Hungary and USA all managed to beat their opponents in one end less than the regulation eight ends. Belarus came from behind to win their first game, 11-7, against Japan.

Following a tough win vice-skip, Ekaterina Kirillova, said: "We didn’t start very well, which was disappointing, but we managed to come together as a team. For us it was a very competitive and hard game because the score was not steady."

Scotland defeated Estonia 12-4 and Latvia beat Israel 10-5. Hungary were victorious, 6-3, against Brazil and USA beat Turkey 7-3.

Germany beat Australia 7-5 in the only game that lasted for the full eight ends in this session.

Switzerland ensured they would continue their unbeaten run after two days of play during session seven in Berne.

The host nation made sure their 4-3 lead, reached in the seventh end, was kept in tack against Slovenia when Romano Meier cleared his opponent’s stone, lying on the button, with the last delivery of the game.

Russia won their third game from three, beating Poland 4-3 in Group C.

Also in this session, China and Ireland had positive victories. China beat New Zealand 11-2 in seven ends, while Ireland defeated Romania 10-3 also in seven ends.

There were victories for Italy and Lithuania in Group A. Italy beat France 7-6, while Lithuania defeated Denmark 8-7.

In the last session of the day there were wins for Hungary, Canada, Scotland, Finland, Germany and Wales.

Hungary beat neighbours Austria 7-4, while Canada beat Israel 5-3 to remain undefeated at the end of day two.

Scotland edged past Japan in a low scoring game that ended 4-2 and Finland beat Latvia 8-5. Germany also won their match, 4-2, against Spain meaning they have three wins from three.

The result that stood out the most in this session was Wales’ 9-3 defeat of Norway. After five ends the teams were level, 3-3, but then scoring five points in the sixth end was the turning point for the Group B team.

"We were pleased with the way we played. We were keen to get the hammer in the even ends, so to draw a blank in the fifth was good, but then both teams were keen to score in the sixth. This meant it was a big deciding end and scoring that five really sealed the game for us," said Wales skip Adrian Meikle.

For more information, contact:

Cameron MacAllister

Communications & Media Relations Manager

media@worldcurling.org

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