Canadian women, Danish men win World Junior semifinals
VANCOUVER – Denmark’s Rasmus Stjerne shrugged off an earlier playoff loss and Canada’s Kaitlyn Lawes continued her playoff run as both teams qualified for Sunday’s 5 pm Atlantic finals of the 2009 World Junior Curling Championships.
Stjerne, who dropped a steal of six to lose to Canada’s Brett Gallant in the earlier Page playoff 1 versus 2 game, took out defending world junior champion Chris Plys of the United States 9-4 to advance to Sunday’s championship rematch.
The Danes held leads of 2-0 and 6-4 before grabbing a big three-count in the eighth end.
“I’m really looking forward to (playing Canada),” said Stjerne. “They’re really the best team to play. If we beat them, we’re better than them. If they beat us, they’re better than us.”
Stjerne is competing in his sixth and final World Juniors, and had never finished higher than fourth. At the start of the week, Stjerne explained that he told friends and family he would not be returning home without a medal.
“Yes, I said that, but now I have to keep going,” said Stjern, who is guaranteed silver.
“I want it all now.”
Plys will play for bronze against Sweden’s Oskar Eriksson on Sunday afternoon. Plys defeated Eriksson in Saturday’s Page playoff 3 vs 4 game, which was a rematch of the 2008 world final.
“Tomorrow is a new day, and we have to come out and take care of it,” said Plys. “Sometimes you win and sometimes you don’t, it’s not something to hang our heads about.”
Lawes, last year’s world bronze medallist, came out guns blazing against the Swiss, who had topped the round robin. The Canadians stole two to start the match and added a three-count in the fourth for a 6-1 lead.
“I’m so excited,” said Lawes, who fired a 90 in shooting percentage, compared to Baumann’s 56 per cent.
“I’m absolutely thrilled we’re in the gold medal final.”
The Canadians have their work cut out for them. Eve Muirhead’s Scottish opponents have won the past two world titles, and have made a habit out of scoring comeback victories through the week in Vancouver.
Muirhead also scored the double for the first time in Scottish women’s history, winning both junior and adult women’s titles in the same season. Muirhead will skip three new teammates at the Mount Titlis World Women’s Curling Championship in Gangneung, Korea, beginning Saturday (March 21).
The women’s gold and bronze medal games take place Sunday, March 15 at 1 pm Atlantic time, with the men’s gold and bronze medal games set for 5 ADT.
The 2009 WJCC is taking place at The Vancouver Olympic Centre, which will host the curling and wheelchair curling competitions at the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games next year.
Live scoring, statistics and shot-by-shot graphics of every match are available at: www.wjcc.curlit.com with results mirrored at the WCF Results website at: results.worldcurling.org
The event website is located at: www.wjcc2009.com