Canada's Einarson falls to Norway in world championship semis

SANDVIKEN, Sweden — Canada's Kerri Einarson will play for bronze once more.

Einarson fell 8-5 to Norway's Marianne Roervik in the world women's curling championship semifinals on Saturday. The Manitoba-based rink will face host Sweden in Sunday's bronze-medal game.

It will be the second consecutive bronze-medal matchup against Sweden for Einarson, vice-skip Val Sweeting, second Shannon Birchard, lead Briane Harris and alternate Krysten Karwacki. Canada topped Sweden 8-7 for a podium finish in 2022.

Tied 5-5, and with Norway having sat three in the ninth end, Canada's attempt to draw in was light, giving the Norwegians an 8-5 lead. Canada conceded with one end remaining.

“It was a pretty unfortunate ninth end with too many back-to-back misses," Einarson said. "We got ourselves in some trouble and I made a good one on my first, but she came up with a really good shot.

"I think we needed to leave our first one a hair higher or go deeper. We were right in between and it was just top four. We needed tee-line or better.”

Sweden dropped an 8-4 decision in the other semifinal to Switzerland, which will look to repeat as world champion on Sunday against Norway.

Einarson entered the semifinals having defeated Japan's Satsuki Fujisawa 6-4 in extra ends earlier Saturday in a qualification game.

Down 1-0 following the opening end, Canada responded with a two-point third end to take the lead. However, Norway swiftly responded with three in the following end to take a 4-2 edge.

Canada knotted the contest with a point in each of the next two ends before exchanging singles in the seventh and eighth.

“We played really well. We just have to be better on our execution," Einarson said. "We’re building and it feels good to be making some good shots and reading the ice better, we’ve just had one bad end.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 25, 2023.