Jones, Laing improve to 5-1 at mixed doubles worlds; senior teams go 3-0 on Tuesday
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Canada's Jennifer Jones and Brent Laing are getting closer to clinching a playoff spot after picking up another win at the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship on Tuesday at the Gangneung Curling Centre in Gangneung, South Korea.
The husband and wife duo from Horseshoe Valley, Ont., defeated Czech Republic's Julie Zelingrova and Vit Chabicovsky, who are just 17 and 18-years-old respectively, 8-3, to improve their record to 5-1.
Jones, 48, and Laing, 44, are tied with Estonia’s Marie Kaldvee and Harri Lil for first place in their pool with just three games remaining in the round robin. The top three teams from each pool advance to the playoffs.
“’It’s great to know that our playoff destiny is in our hands and we know that if we keep playing well and try to win a couple more games, we should have a chance at the playoffs,” Jones told Curling Canada. “That’s really what the goal was at the beginning of the week.”
Finishing first will earn the Canadians a bye straight to the semifinal. Their lone loss of the tournament came to Estonia earlier this week.
“Well, it’s an extra game you don’t have to play so it’s important,” said Laing. “The six teams that are going to make the playoffs, I think all six will have a chance to win so if you only have to play two of them instead of three, that’s good news. And getting into the semifinal, you’re one win away from the final instead of two. And you’re guaranteed a medal game. But it’s out of our hands at this point. We just have to take care of our business and make sure we’re in the playoffs.”
Jones and Laing have two more games on Wednesday against Denmark’s Jasmin Lander and Henrik Holtermann as well as Hungary’s Linda Joo and Lorinc Tatar.
Canada has earned two silver and two bronze medals at the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship but has never won gold since the event’s inception in 2008.
Senior teams eyeing playoff berths
It was a 3-0 day on Tuesday for Canada's team at the World Senior Curling Championships.
Saskatoon’s Team Sherry Anderson are now 5-0 after defeating New Zealand’s Team Joanna Olszewksi, 8-4, before topping Hong Kong’s Team Ling-Yue Hung, 8-3, later in the day.
“We’re in a good position,” Anderson told Curling Canada. “That’s all we want to do — just keep plugging along and keep getting better, and I think we are.”
Team Anderson, who have won five straight Canadian senior titles, can clinch a playoff spot in South Korea with a win over winless Team Rasa Veronika Jasaitiene of Lithuania on Wednesday.
The foursome - also featuring third Patty Hersikorn, second Brenda Goertzen and lead Anita Silvernagle - are looking to win their third world senior championship after capturing gold in back-to-back years in 2018 and 2019, the last time the Canadians won the event.
On the men's side, Ottawa’s Team Howard Rajala improved to 4-1 thanks to a win over Poland’s Team Damian Herman, 11-2.
Rajala and company are holding down second spot in their pool with the top two advancing to the playoffs after round-robin play.
Team Rajala is rounded out by third Rich Moffatt, second Chris Fulton, lead Paul Madden and alternate Phil Daniel.