
Team Canada remains comfortably in second place at the 2024 World Men’s Curling Championships in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. On Wednesday, Canada won two more games as they defeated the Netherlands and South Korea by identical scores of 7-4.
In Canada’s win over the Netherlands, the turning point came very early. In the first end, Netherlands second Jaap van Drop flashed with his first shot after Canadian lead Geoff Walker made a perfect shot as he knocked out a Dutch stone and was able to roll in behind the Canadian guard. Canada scored two points in the end, took a 2-0 lead, and maintained a lead they would simply not relinquish.
In Canada’s win over South Korea, Canada once again got off to a great start. They scored two points in the first end with the hammer, and took a 4-1 lead after three ends. Canadian Olympic gold medalists Brad Gushue of St. John’s, Newfoundland and Mark Nichols of Labrador City, Newfoundland curled very well. Gushue curled 95% and Nichols curled 99%. They both outshot their direct Korean positional opponents by 16%. Gushue and Nichols won the gold medal for Canada at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin.
Sweden remains in first place at eight wins and zero losses. Scotland and Switzerland are tied for third place at six wins and two losses. Germany is in fifth place at six wins and three losses. Italy is in sixth place at five wins and three losses. Italy is the only team to have beaten Canada, as they won 7-6 in 11 ends on Monday. Canada plays Norway and Sweden on Thursday and Japan and Switzerland on Friday.