Canada nabs Olympic berth in mixed doubles curling

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. — Canada’s Joanne Courtney and Reid Carruthers downed the previously unbeaten Latvia duo of Santa Blumberga and Andris Bremanis 10-5 in Friday night’s draw at the world mixed doubles championship.

The win clinched a berth for Canada in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, where mixed doubles curling will make its debut as a medal sport.

Courtney and Carruthers will play in today’s semifinal against China’s Rui Wang and Dexin Ba, the silver medallists at last year’s world mixed doubles in Karlstad, Sweden.