Canada perfect at world juniors

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This article was published 07/03/2009 (6285 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

VANCOUVER — Canada’s Brett Gallant thumped Sweden 10-4 at the world junior curling championship Friday to improve to 2-0.

Gallant’s Charlottetown rink of Adam Casey, second Anson Carmody and lead Jamie Danbrook took control of the game against Oscar Erikkson by stealing a point in the third end for a 3-1 lead.

"We missed a few shots at the start but we kept putting pressure on them," Gallant said. "The steal in the third was a big point, then a big couple of points (after that)."

The Canadians were to face Switzerland (1-0) in a later draw at Vancouver Olympic Centre, which is the site of the 2010 Olympic curling and Paralympic curling events.

Eriksson, the runner-up at last year’s world junior championship, said the loss to Canada was no reason to panic.

"We just have to forget this game," he said. "We lost last year in the round robin to Canada but then we beat them in the playoff game. So there’s no danger."

In other games, Denmark’s Rasmus Stjerne joined Canada at 2-0 by beating defending champion Chris Plys of the U.S. 7-3.

"We wanted to stay relaxed because we’ve played these guys forever," said Stjerne, making his sixth appearance at the world juniors championship.

Plys is competing in the tournament for a fourth time.

Switzerland’s David Baertschiger edged China’s Jia Lang Zang 5-4 and Norway’s Kristian Rolvsjord beat Andrey Drozdov 7-5.

Norway, Sweden and the U.S. were tied at 1-1. China, Germany and Scotland were 0-1 and Russia fell to 0-2.

On the women’s side, Canada’s Kaitlyn Lawes improved to 3-0 with a 6-4 victory over Russia’s Margarita Fomina (1-1).

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"I felt like I struggled a bit, but it’s a ‘W’ so I’ll take it," said Lawes.

In other matches, France’s Marie Coulot beat Anna Kubeskova of the Czech Republic 10-6, and Switzerland’s Martina Baumann upended Alexandra Carlson of the United States 10-7, after stealing four consecutive points over ends seven through nine.

The Swiss are 2-0, the Americans are 1-1 and the French and Czechs are both 1-2.

— The Canadian Press