After Hitchcock finals – Swiss curlers get Olympic tickets and fight for World Cup precious metal

Swiss curlers traveled to Canada for the World Cup with great ambitions. The declared minimum target was in sixth place. Because this rank secured Switzerland a starting place at the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2022. But the Swiss would like to go home with a medal. A glance back reveals that it is absolutely realistic. The SK Geneva Cruz-led CC Geneva team has already won three World Championship bronze medals (most recent in 2019). Three European Championship medals and Olympic bronze medals from 2018 are also part of the Palmares.

Depend on rifle help

The starting position was clear before the final game in the round robin. The Swiss were supposed to win their game against China as well as hope of losing to Norway against Scotland.

The game against China was initially marked by missing stones on both sides. The initial decision in favor of the Swiss was made at the end of the fifth when the score was 3: 2. The Swiss were able to write four stones and move away by 7: 2. As a result, this mortgage was too large for the Chinese. In the end, Switzerland won with a clear 9: 4. So he did his own homework.

Genevans followed the match between Norway and Scotland with enthusiasm. He did not like what the Swiss saw. Because Norway was ahead 5–2 after the seventh end. No World Cup medals for Switzerland and Olympic tickets at risk! But the Scots found their way into the game. They could write four stones at the eighth end and rotate the game. In a great finish, the Scots prevailed at 7: 6. Norway missed the quarter-finals at the expense of the Swiss.

Revenge against usa

Peter D’Cruz, Valentin Tanner, Sven Mitchell and Benoit Schwarz will play for the World Cup medal on Saturday (5pm CET). In the final eight rounds, opponents will be Olympic champions from the United States, who advanced to the quarter-finals with 8: 3 against South Korea. The Americans won the duel against Switzerland in the goal robin 8: 6.

“We focused on our game”, Peter D’Cruz said after the game and added with a smile: “Of course, after our four-man game we also watched the Scots play and played their game defensively until the end Played. “

Highs and lows in the early stages

The World Cup thrill in Calgary was a great start for the CC Geneva team. The Swiss have won four times in a row, including success against favorites Sweden and hosts Canada. But then suddenly the machine got sanded. This was followed by a defeat against weaker teams such as Denmark or Italy. Maximum penalty threatened: No World Cup medal and Olympic quota found. Switzerland is now fighting for precious metals in Calgary and Beijing with the help of a rifle.

If the Swiss defeats the United States, the defending champions will have a duel with Sweden, who, like Russia, already qualify for the semi-finals as the winner or runner-up of the round-robin. Canada and Scotland have a second quarter-final match.