One loss kills dream
Canada picks worst time to lose in mixed doubles
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Digital Subscription
One year of digital access for only $205*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 25/04/2009 (6300 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Canada’s first loss at the world mixed doubles curling championship came at the worst possible time.
Sean Grassie of Winnipeg and Allison Nimik of Calgary were knocked out of gold-medal contention following a stunning 7-5 loss to Hungary in semifinal action Friday.
The husband and wife duo of Gyoergy Nagy and Ildiko Szekeres went ahead for good with a three-point sixth end, and took advantage of a last-rock mistake by Nimik to clinch a podium berth for the first time in the country’s modest curling history.
“Our real dream was to win a medal,” said Nagy, who ran his record to 10-2. “I told Ildi we had to win the medal now, and not wait for a bronze chance tomorrow.”
Canada had a chance at the victory.
Trailing 7-4 in the eighth and final end, Nimik threw a soft takeout for a possible four points, but her stone curled too much and ran into a guard. Canada had to settle for a single point, and the Hungarians leapt into the air in celebration.
After going unbeaten in round-robin play to earn a spot in the semifinals, Grassie and Nimik believe they ran into the hottest team in the tournament Friday.
“They’re a juggernaut,” said Nimik. “That was a game of ‘anything you can do, I can do better.’ You can’t feel badly about (losing) a game like that, when you play well yourself. By far, that’s the best game I’ve had here.
“They could make the rocks do amazing things. They’re definitely on a roll.”
The Hungarians will face Switzerland in today’s final. Defending champions Toni Mueller and Irene Schori ran their record to 18-0 over two years with a 10-2 rout of China in the other semifinal.
“We definitely want to win this championship,” said Mueller. “Before we came here we said that if we can get a medal, that’s great. But now, with the chance to win again, we want it.”
Canada and China will face off for bronze.
— The Canadian Press