Canada claims silver in world mixed doubles

Koe vs. Jacobs, Homan vs. Hasselborg in finals

CALGARY — The finals are set at the Champions Cup curling tournament.

Calgary’s Kevin Koe will face Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., in the men’s title draw today.

On the women’s side, it’ll be Ottawa’s Rachel Homan against Sweden’s Anna Hasselborg.

Homan has a chance for redemption after losing to Winnipeg’s Jennifer Jones in last year’s final.

Koe trailed Sweden’s Niklas Edin in Saturday’s semifinals but scored three in the final end to come from behind for a 6-4 victory.

Jacobs toppled Toronto’s John Epping 9-5 in the other semi. Epping held a 5-4 lead through five ends, but Jacobs responded with three in the sixth and a deuce in the seventh to beat last year’s runner-up.

Homan cruised to a 5-0 win over Switzerland’s Alina Paetz, while Hasselborg downed Jacqueline Harrison of Mississauga, Ont., 7-2.

The Champions Cup is the final event on the Grand Slam of Curling circuit.

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. — It was an agonizing way to lose but, in the big picture, it was a huge step forward for Canada at the 2017 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship.

Canada’s Joanne Courtney and Reid Carruthers gave up an early lead to fall to Switzerland’s Martin Rios and Jenny Perret 6-5 on Saturday afternoon to settle for silver at the world mixed doubles curling championship.

The Canadians held a 5-2 lead through seven ends but a miss from Courtney on her final shot of the game opened the door for the Swiss to claim their leading sixth gold medal in the 10-year history of the event as Perret drew for four.

It was a best-ever finish for Canada in mixed doubles. In the previous nine world championships, Canada had won just one medal, a bronze in 2009 by Alli Flaxey and Sean Grassie.

The Canadians also locked up a berth in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, where mixed doubles curling will make its debut as a medal sport.