Sweden beat Norway in the men's semifinal, to set up a Sweden v Canada final tomorrow afternoon.In the women's competition, the Czech Republic beat Sweden, to set up a rerun of the Page 1-2 game against Scotland, this time with the World Junior title at stake. That's tomorrow morning at 08:00 GMT.
Leslie Ingram-Brown reports:
"Following the playing of the two semifinal games this evening the final and bronze medal games tomorrow are identical to the Page 1 v 2 and 3 v 4 for both the junior men's and junior women's divisions of these World Junior Championships at Oestersund, Sweden.
In the men's semifinal it was close for three ends only until Swedish skip Rasmus Wrana played a marvellous shot with last stone in the fourth for a four shot count. The Swedes stole a single in the fifth for a 6-1 lead and the game was virtually over.
Markus Hoiberg and his team struggled bravely on and at 7-4 down, going into the eighth, a further one shot to Wrana and Sweden were going back to have a revenge battle with Canada for gold whilst Norway would once again play Kyle Smith's Scotland for the Bronze Medal.
The junior women's semifinal was a much more entertaining game with the Czech Republic's Zuzana Hajkova leading Sara McManus's Sweden 5-4 at the fifth end break. Sweden blanked ends six, seven and eight and were forced to take a single in the ninth to be 5-5 into the final end but Czech Republic would have the last stone.
Sweden lay two shots behind guards. Iveta Janatova, playing last stones for the Czech team, made a last stone raise into the four foot perfectly. The Czech Republic will return to play Scotland in the final. Sweden will come back tomorrow morning to replay Russia for the Bronze Medal."
SCORELINES:
NOR 00100 1020X = 4
SWE* 01041 0101X = 8
cze* 01103 00001 = 6
swe 10030 00010 = 5
The event website is here. Video highlights of the men's semi are here.
Top: Czech celebrations as their last stone hits the button. Pic © Leslie Ingram-Brown.
