Canada into mixed doubles curling semifinals with wins over Czechia, Switzerland

GENEVA – Canada earned a direct spot into the world mixed doubles curling championship semifinals after finishing the preliminary round with a pair of wins on Thursday.

Kadriana and Colton Lott followed a nervy 6-5 extra-end win over Czechia in the day’s early draw to a more comfortable 10-5 win over Switzerland in the evening.

The wins ensured the husband-and-wife duo from Gimli, Man., would finish atop the Group B standings at 8-1. The top teams from each group advance directly to Friday’s semifinals, while the second- and third-place teams meet in a qualifying round.

“Couldn’t be more proud. I think it makes it better that we’re teammates, we’re a couple, we’re partners,” Kadriana Lott said of teaming up with her husband. “It’s great to do what we do and to travel and play on this surface together. It’s a huge feeling.”

Canada’s path to the semifinals was complicated by the game against the Czech duo of Petra Klimova and Lukas Klima, who led 4-2 after a steal of one in the sixth end.

Canada responded with three in the seventh, but the Czechs sent it to an extra end with a point in the eighth before Canada scored the decisive point with the hammer in the added end.

There was no such drama against Switzerland’s Stefanie Berset and Philipp Hoesli, with Canada opening with three points and following with a steal of two.

“It gave us all the comfort going in,,to the next few ends. It gave us that full control, and we could play with the strategy,” Colton Lott said of the strong start. “Even if we gave up two, it’s not a detriment to what we’re trying to do out there. We just kept putting shots together and keeping that pedal down.”

The Canadians didn’t let up, taking a 9-5 lead with two points in the sixth and sealing the victory with a steal in the seventh.

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Canada ended up not needing the victory over the Swiss after defending champion Italy closed with a 10-8 extra-end win over Scotland.

Italy finished second in Group B at 7-2 followed by Scotland at 6-3. Canada held the head-to-head tiebreaker over Italy, but not over Scotland.

In Pool A, Australia finished top of the table and moved into the semifinals with an 8-1 record. Sweden and Japan, both 7-2, got the remaining playoff spots.

Sweden will face Scotland, and Italy will take on Japan in the qualification games Friday, with the winners advancing to the semifinals. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 30, 2026.