Canadian Olympic gold medalist Brad Gushue of St. John’s, Newfoundland, remains the leader at the 2022 World Men’s Curling Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada. On Monday, Canada only played one game, and beat Italy 10-4.
Gushue, who won the gold medal for Canada at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin, actually lost to Italy in the round robin of the Olympic tournament 16 years ago by a score of 7-6 in an extra end. Italy was skipped by Joel Retornaz at the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin. In Las Vegas, Retornaz is making his eighth appearance for Italy at a world championship.
In the Canadian win over Italy, the Canadian team jumped out to a 5-2 lead with three points in the fourth end. That was followed by two points each in the sixth and eighth end. In the fourth end, Canada went on the offensive early by putting rocks in play, and benefited by a missed draw attempt by Italian third and mixed doubles Olympic gold medalist Amos Mosaner.
At the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, Masoner and Stefania Constantini shocked the sporting landscape by placing first and winning gold. It was only one of two gold medals Italy won at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games. The other was won by Arianna Fontana in the women’s 500 metre short track speed skating.
Canada is the lone team in first place at the 2022 World Men’s Curling Championship. They are at five wins and zero losses. Scotland, the United States, Switzerland, Sweden and Germany are in second place at three wins and two losses.
