Brad Gushue secured his 50th career victory at the world men’s curling championship as Canada triumphed over New Zealand’s Anton Hood with a 7-4 win.
The match saw both teams exchanging singles in the opening four ends before Gushue seized control with a steal of one in the fifth, followed by two more stolen points in the sixth.
Reflecting on the game, Gushue praised Hood’s skill, acknowledging his opponent’s pivotal shots in the second and fourth ends. Despite the challenge, Gushue’s team maintained their composure and clinched the victory.
Currently boasting a 4-1 record, Gushue and his team from St. John’s, N.L., comprising Mark Nichols, E.J. Harnden, and Geoff Walker, are off to a strong start at the IWC Arena.
In other early matchups, Switzerland’s Yannick Schwaller secured a 10-4 victory over Japan’s Shinya Abe, while Czechia’s Lukas Klima defeated South Korea’s Jongduk Park with a score of 10-6.
With Sweden’s Niklas Edin leading the pack with an undefeated record of 5-0, Canada, Italy’s Joel Retornaz, and defending champion Bruce Mouat of Scotland are tied at 4-1.
Round-robin play is set to continue through Friday night, with the medal games slated for Sunday.
Gushue, who clinched gold in his debut world championship appearance in 2017, expressed his satisfaction with reaching the milestone of 50 career wins. However, he remains focused on the ultimate goal of securing victory on Sunday, emphasizing the team’s dedication to success.
As the tournament progresses, the top six teams out of the 13-team field will advance to the playoffs. Currently, Germany’s Marc Muskatewitz, Switzerland, and the U.S. are tied in fifth place with a record of 3-2, while Czechia sits alone in eighth place at 3-3.
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