Kerri Einarson, the Canadian skip, has been avoiding handshakes at the Women’s World Curling Championship due to a sprained finger. This injury occurred on February 1 during her team’s national championship celebration in Mississauga, Ontario. Einarson described the incident, stating, “Someone clipped my finger, and it bent my knuckle right back.”
Despite her discomfort, which has made throwing stones challenging, Einarson continues to compete. She has resorted to arm-bumping opponents instead of shaking hands. “When someone shakes my hand, it aches,” she explained.
Canada’s Performance at the Championship
Einarson, along with teammates Val Sweeting, Shannon Birchard, and Karlee Burgess from Manitoba’s Gimli Curling Club, recently defeated Scotland with a score of 7-5 in a tightly contested match at Calgary’s WinSport Event Centre. This victory improved Canada’s record to 7-1, putting them at the top of the standings alongside Switzerland. Below is an overview of the current rankings:
- 1. Canada – 7-1
- 1. Switzerland – 7-1
- 3. Japan – 6-2
- 4. South Korea – 6-2
- 5. Sweden – 6-3
- 6. Turkey – 5-3
- 7. China – 4-4
- 8. Denmark – 3-5
- 9. Italy – 3-5
- 10. Scotland – 3-6
- 11. Norway – 2-6
- 12. Australia – 1-8
- 12. United States – 1-8
Upcoming Matches and Playoff Structure
Canada will face South Korea on Thursday morning, followed by a match against Norway that evening. The Canadian team has a demanding split schedule, which involves late nights and early mornings. They will conclude pool play against Australia and Japan on Friday. The top six teams will advance to the playoffs, with the top two teams getting direct entry into the semifinals on Saturday evening.
Game Highlights Against Scotland
Canada took a strong early lead against Scotland, scoring 4-1 after three ends. However, Scotland, led by skip Fay Henderson, fought back to tie the match at 5-5. Einarson reflected on her team’s resilience: “We started really well… but we just tried to find ways to help each other.”
The game featured a pivotal moment in the eighth end. Einarson strategically ensured Scotland couldn’t score the points needed to force an extra end, leading to a steal that secured Canada’s victory. Einarson noted the challenges posed by the condition of the ice and stones, adding, “Today was a little tricky at times.”
As Einarson and her teammates strive for their first world title, they aim to continue Canada’s legacy in curling, following Rachel Homan’s back-to-back championships.
