Canada edges England 7-6 to lock up world mixed doubles curling playoff spot

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. – Canada locked up a playoff berth at the world mixed doubles curling championship on Wednesday with a 7-6 victory over England.

Joanne Courtney and Reid Carruthers stole the winning point when Anna Fowler wrecked on a guard with her final throw.

Canada led 4-1 after three ends but Fowler and her brother Ben pulled even in the fifth before the teams exchanged deuces ahead of the final end.

“We felt like we had a strong start to that game and then just had a couple misses in the second half to get our backs up against the wall again,” said Courtney. “But again, really proud of us staying mentally tough, for giving it everything we had, for trying our best to make our shots when it mattered most in those last two ends.”

Courtney, from Edmonton, shot 69 per cent in the game while Carruthers, from Winnipeg, was at 86 per cent.

The Canadians, who improved to 5-1, will close out round-robin play Thursday at the ATB Centre against the unbeaten American team of siblings Becca and Matt Hamilton (6-0).

The single-knockout 16-team playoffs begin Friday.