Hannah Fleming, Lauren Gray, Alice Spence and Abi Brown are through to the final of the World Junior Curling Championships! In tonight's Page 1-2 game Scotland beat the Czech Republic. Very well done to the girls.Sweden defeated Russia in the Page 3-4, which was webcast. I enjoyed watching this game, which was won at the last stone, by a fraction!
Sweden will now play the Czech Republic in a 'semifinal', the winner meeting Scotland in Sunday's championship match.
Leslie Ingram-Brown reports:
"In the Page 1 v 2 game this evening the Scots beat Zuzana Hajkova's Czech Republic 6-5 with the very last stone of the game. At the first end the Czech Republic stole a single but in the second Fleming had a free draw for three shots after the Czech Republic wrecked on a guard attempting a come round draw. The third end was blanked. Fourth and the Czech Republic had a chance of going ahead but their attempt at a double takeout failed and Scotland stole a single. In the fifth the Czech Republic hit for two. The score after five ends, and at the game break, Fleming led by a single shot 4-3.
Fleming hit for a single in the sixth which Janatova reverses in the seventh. In the eighth after a hog line infringement by Fleming the Czech Republic had the chance of putting real pressure on the Scots but their last stone draw to lie two hit the hack. Fleming then had a tap back push for two shots but was wide and counted only a single shot.
In the ninth the Czech Republic hit against two shots for a single and coming home the Scottiish Junior Champions were one shot up hold last stone. With last stones to come in the tenth, the Czech Republic drew the house but there were no guards and the stone was in the open. Hannah hds to remove the stone but did not need to lie for the place direct to the final. It was good and the Scottish band of supporters, growing daily, were on their feet to acknowledge a wonderful achievement.
Afterwards Hannah commented, "That'll do, it was a tight game. We wanted to be in the top five at least and we won't be happy with a silver now."
On the next sheet in the Page 3 v 4 game Sweden and Russia had a close encounter with Sara McManus's Sweden coming back from a 4-1 deficit after five ends to have a peeled game 5-5 going into the final end. But Russia held the hammer.
McManus played a beauty of a draw round a guard to lie in the two foot and there was barely space to follow and lie shot but Anna Sidorova believed in her own ability and went for the draw, slid passed the guard by the thickness of a sheet of paper, closed down on the two Swedish stones and rolled in towards the centre. But just not enough. Sweden were the winners 6-5."
SCORELINES:
sco* 03010 10100 = 6
cze 10002 01010 = 5
rus* 10102 00100 = 5
swe 00010 11021 = 6
To-morrow at 12:00 CET (11:00 GMT) Kyle Smith's team take on Norway in the Page 3 v 4 game with the semifinal games for both genders being at 18:00 CET.
The event website is here.
Top: Abi and Alice bring Hannah's stone into the house. Lauren in the head.
The Czech Republic team in action.Photos © Leslie Ingram-Brown
