Edmonton: Canada continued their 100% record in the Ford World Men’s Curling Championship 2017 on Wednesday (5 April) morning, against Netherlands by 8-3, as round-robin play entered its penultimate day.
Earlier, Brad Gushue’s Canadians had beaten Germany (8-2) and China (9-4), and all these results push them ever-closer to qualification for the weekend medal play-offs.
Sweden also won in the 12th session on Wednesday morning, following up a 10-5 win over Russia, by beating Scotland 6-4. These wins mean they remain in second place behind Canada, with seven wins and one loss.
Third-placed Switzerland sat out the 12th session, but had earlier beaten Netherlands by 9-6. Japan’s 12-4 win over Russia means that they sit in the all-important fourth and final play-off place, for the time bieng, with five wins.
Behind these four, Italy and USA are tied in fifth place, while China are seventh. Norway and Scotland – in joint eighth place, each on three wins – still have an arithmetic chance of making it to the play-offs, as do tenth-placed Germany. Netherlands and Russia, at the foot-of-the-table and both still seeking their first wins, will not be playing at the weekend.
Statements of Winning Captains- World Men’s Curling Championship 2017
Niklas Edin; skip, Sweden (after 6-4 win over Scotland): “I think we started the game really well. Had an early three-point lead but let up a little bit in the sixth end where we lost our focus a bit and ended up giving them a steal of one. We gave them a few opportunities to get back into the game but were able to finish the last three ends of the game really strong. I think we are going to have an extremely tough match tonight against Switzerland. Benoit isn’t missing a lot right now, so now more than ever we need to make sure we make all of our shots and bring that elite level of play.”
Brad Gushue; skip, Canada (after 8-3 win over Netherlands): “[We’re in] good shape and it was a good game today. At the end we lost some focus, but first couple of ends we were really sharp. The ice is good and we feel good.”
Marcel Rocque; coach, China (after 7-6 extra end win over Norway): “Unfortunately, we had some slips earlier in the week here and put our backs against the wall. But, we’re just trying to come out and play to get more wins and see what comes at the end. Patience for one [got us this win] and good rock placement in the eighth end to gain control of the game. A couple of little mistakes and Norway didn’t go away easy, they fought right to the end.”
Yusuke Morozumi; skip, Japan (after 12-4 win over Russia): “We were able to read the ice well in that game and that was the difference.”
Results after session 12: Sweden 6-4 Scotland; Netherlands 3-8 Canada; China 7-6 Norway; Russia 4-12 Japan
Results after session 11: Germany 2-8 Canada; USA 7-6 Japan; Russia 5-9 Italy; Netherlands 6-9 Switzerland
Results after session ten: Japan 9-7 Norway; Canada 9-4 China; Scotland 9-5 Netherlands; Sweden 10-5 Russia
Standings after session one: World Men’s Curling Championship 2017
| Country | Win | Loss | |
| Canada | 8 | 0 | |
| Germany | 2 | 5 | |
| Japan | 5 | 3 | |
| USA | 4 | 3 | |
| China | 4 | 4 | |
| Norway | 3 | 5 | |
| Scotland | 3 | 5 | |
| Sweden | 7 | 1 | |
| Italy | 4 | 3 | |
| Netherlands | 0 | 8 | |
| Russia | 0 | 8 | |
| Switzerland | 6 | 1 | |