switzerland fight back to secure dramatic mixed doubles curling title

Jenny Perret and Martin Rios emerged 6-5 victors over Joanne Courtney and Reid Carruthers at the ATB Centre to secure Switzerland's sixth WMDCC title.

The Canadians went into the last end with a three-point advantage but Courtney's final effort for the hosts clipped her own stone to leave the draw for four points.

Perret duly obliged with a well-angled throw to the four-foot to secure an unlikely win for Switzerland.

It is the fifth time the Swiss have won the tournament undefeated, and it was also Rios' second gold medal, having triumphed in Turkey in 2012.

And champion Rios heaped praise on partner Perret, who threw down the winning stone to secure the title.

"I think it is a dream come true – playing Canada in a world championship final in Canada and in the end, we won it," he said.

"That’s unbelievable! I am especially proud for Jenny as it's her first time. It was not an easy draw for the win, but she made it easily."

Canada’s Courtney remained philosophical after defeat, and said that her and Carruthers can look back on their performance with pride.

"We are just really, really proud of ourselves," said Courtney. "We came here wanting to get Canada into the Olympics and we did that, and we wanted to get a medal too and we did that.

"It didn't work out our way in that game but we have a lot to be proud of."

Elsewhere, China's Rui Wang and Dexin Ba, last year's silver medallists, won bronze after defeating the Czech Republic 6-2.

Wang and Ba took an early advantage to lead 4-1 at the break, a lead that proved too much for Czech pair Tomas Paul and Zuzana Hajkova to claw back.

Ba said: "I feel good. Actually, we wanted a gold final but Canada played well so this game, we tried our best. We learned lots from this week."

Oona Kauste and Tomi Rantamaki of Finland defeated Latvia 7-1 after seven ends to finish fifth overall.

Norway beat Korea 9-2 to settle at a seventh-place finish while defending champions Russia beat United States 7-5 to finish ninth.

Earlier on Saturday, China, Canada, Russia, Switzerland, United States, Norway, Finland and Korea became the eight National Olympic Committees to qualify for the first ever Olympic Winter Games mixed doubles event in Pyeongchang in February 2018.

Sportsbeat 2017