Kyle Smith's Team Scotland beat China in the eighth round of the World Junior Curling Championships in Oestersund this morning.Leslie Ingram-Brown reports from Sweden:
"The Scotland - China game was a controlled win for Kyle Smith, Thomas Muirhead, Kyle Waddell and Kerr Drummond. China took a single in the first end against the hammer on a sweeping misjudgement by all the players, but the Scots struck back with a pair in the second and they stole singles in three and four. China blanked the fifth, and Scotland was 4-1 ahead at the break.
The sixth saw a second steal but this time of two shots. Seven was blanked. China was running out of options and when their skip Xiuyue Ma drew for a single in the eighth the concession was offered.
Canada on seven wins are qualified for the Playoffs. Sweden, Norway and Scotland (in game result positioning) are on six wins and the worst they can do is play a tiebreak after this afternoon's session results are known. Scotland plays the Czech Republic in the last round.
RESULTS: Sweden 8 USA 4; Scotland 6 China 2; Canada 9 Finland 2; Czech Republic 11 Italy 5; Switzerland 9 Norway 2.
STANDINGS: 7/1 Canada (Q); 6/2 Norway, Scotland, Sweden; 5/3 Switzerland; 4/4 USA; 3/5 China; 2/6 Czech Republic;, 1/7 Italy; 0/8 Finland.
The event website is here.
Top: Kyle Smith delivers. Above: Scottish support. Photos © Leslie Ingram-Brown.