Canada draws Scotland at curling worlds
Last Updated: Friday, April 11, 2008 | 10:19 AM ET
CBC Sports
Team Canada pummelled the United States 10-4 in eight ends in Thursday's 17th and final draw at the world men's curling championship in Grand Forks, N.D.
Canadian skip Kevin Martin punctuated the romp with a pretty angle raise for three points in the eighth, capping a day that began with an 8-6 triumph over Claudio Pescia of Switzerland.
Kevin Martin studies the ice in Thursday's 8-6 triumph over Switzerland.
(Andrew Vaughan/Canadian Press)
"We needed to come out with a good effort and we did," Martin told reporters at the Ralph Engelstad Arena.
"Everybody played pretty darn solid. Even when we got up a few, we still played some aggressive shots."
Martin's Edmonton rink closed out the round-robin at 10-1, and will take on David Murdoch of Scotland in the 1-2 Page playoff on Friday night (8 p.m. ET, CBC-bold, CBCSports.ca).
The winner will advance directly to Sunday's championship final (CBC, 2:30 p.m. ET), while the loser challenges the winner of the 3-4 playoff in Saturday's semifinal (2 p.m. ET).
"We have to have a good start and adjust to the ice as quick as possible," Canadian lead Marc Kennedy said. "The Scots are great hitters.
"Hopefully, the ice is curling lots and we can get into a little bit of a finesse game."
Murdoch (8-3) secured sole possession of second place with a 7-4 victory over Denmark's Johnny Frederiksen in the evening draw.
"They can play a finesse game and hit like crazy," Martin said. "You don't want to get down to them, that's for sure.
"Murdoch is really playing well. He has a lot of confidence going into the playoffs, so it will make for a good test."
"You want to play the best team and you want to win playing against the best team," Murdoch said. "These guys are playing well.
"It is going to be a really hard game. We will just have to match them rock for rock."
Fengchun Wang of China defeated Norway's Thomas Ulsrud 7-4 in an extra end to clinch the third seed in his debut at the worlds.
Both contenders finished tied for third at 7-4, but Wang earned third billing with the win.
"We have worked hard for seven years, from 2001, and worked very hard in practice every day," Wang said through an interpreter. "Now we have a good result.
"It is a surprise and so exciting and amazing. Like our girl's team winning silver."
Wang, who upset Martin 6-5 in an extra end on Wednesday, will challenge Ulsrud in Friday's 3-4 playoff (3 p.m. ET).
Martin seeks first world title
Martin is seeking his first world title in three trips, losing the 1991 final to David Smith of Scotland and finishing a disappointing fourth
in 1997.
"You don't want to lose your edge," said Martin, a three-time Brier winner and silver medallist at the 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Winter Games.
"Everybody is pretty into it, it's good to see. Everybody is not accepting the misses very well, it's good.
"Everybody is on edge a bit, that's good. We're definitely not complacent, that's for sure."
Canada has won a record 30 world championships since 1959; Sweden is next with five titles.
With files from Canadian Press
