17-03-2017, 00:35
(This post was last modified: 17-03-2017, 02:35 by St Charles Owl.)
The CPT World Women's Curling Championship 2017 gets underway at the Capital Gymnasium in Beijing, which also hosted the Mens' Championships in 2014.
![[Image: 34q1ywy.jpg]](http://i64.tinypic.com/34q1ywy.jpg)
The venue, originally opened in 1968, has a seating capacity of more than 17,000 and was renovated and used as a volleyball venue during the 2008 Olympic Summer Games.
Following the opening ceremony on Saturday 18 March, the teams battle it out in 17 sessions of round-robin play, until the evening of Thursday 23 March. If required, tie-breakers will be played on 24 March, followed by the 1v2 Game. The 3v4 Game will be played on 25 March followed by the sole Semi-final. The Medal Games will take place on Sunday 26 March.
The 12 teams who have qualified are Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Korea, Russia, Scotland, Sweden, Switzerland and USA.
Defending champions Switzerland have won a remarkable four world titles in the last five years – with three different teams – and the team that represents Switzerland this time, skipped by Alina Paetz, was one of them – taking Gold in Sapporo, Japan in 2015. Anna Sidorova leads a Russian team that has taken Bronze in the last three World Curling Championships, while having won World Curling Championship Silver in 2010 and Gold in 2013, Scotland's Olympic Bronze medallist skip Eve Muirhead will be looking to return to the podium. Another World Champion, Bingyu Wang from China, makes up the list of previous winners. Italy’s Diana Gaspari is making her tenth appearance at these Championships while Lene Nielsen of Denmark has "only" made seven previous appearances.
Scotland's team is made up of Eve Muirhead (Skip), Anna Sloan (Third), Vicki Adams (Second), Lauren Gray (Lead) and Kelly Schafer (Alternate). Their first game is against USA on Saturday afternoon, with their two games on Sunday being against Italy and arch-rivals Russia.
Some of the games are on Eurosport and the schedule is as follows:-
20 March 1230-1500 Canada v Switzerland (Eurosport 1) LIVE
21 March 1230-1500 Canada v Scotland (Eurosport 1) LIVE
22 March 1230-1500 Germany v Denmark (Eurosport 1) LIVE
23 March 1230-1500 Russia v China (Eurosport 2) LIVE
24 March 1230-1500 Playoff 1v2 (Eurosport 2) LIVE
26 March 0930-1200 Gold Medal Game (Eurosport 2) LIVE
27 March 1200-1300 Gold Medal Game (Eurosport 1) HIGHLIGHTS
Unfortunately I have better other things to do on Saturday, so it will be Sunday night before I give my first report.
The venue, originally opened in 1968, has a seating capacity of more than 17,000 and was renovated and used as a volleyball venue during the 2008 Olympic Summer Games.
Following the opening ceremony on Saturday 18 March, the teams battle it out in 17 sessions of round-robin play, until the evening of Thursday 23 March. If required, tie-breakers will be played on 24 March, followed by the 1v2 Game. The 3v4 Game will be played on 25 March followed by the sole Semi-final. The Medal Games will take place on Sunday 26 March.
The 12 teams who have qualified are Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Korea, Russia, Scotland, Sweden, Switzerland and USA.
Defending champions Switzerland have won a remarkable four world titles in the last five years – with three different teams – and the team that represents Switzerland this time, skipped by Alina Paetz, was one of them – taking Gold in Sapporo, Japan in 2015. Anna Sidorova leads a Russian team that has taken Bronze in the last three World Curling Championships, while having won World Curling Championship Silver in 2010 and Gold in 2013, Scotland's Olympic Bronze medallist skip Eve Muirhead will be looking to return to the podium. Another World Champion, Bingyu Wang from China, makes up the list of previous winners. Italy’s Diana Gaspari is making her tenth appearance at these Championships while Lene Nielsen of Denmark has "only" made seven previous appearances.
Scotland's team is made up of Eve Muirhead (Skip), Anna Sloan (Third), Vicki Adams (Second), Lauren Gray (Lead) and Kelly Schafer (Alternate). Their first game is against USA on Saturday afternoon, with their two games on Sunday being against Italy and arch-rivals Russia.
Some of the games are on Eurosport and the schedule is as follows:-
20 March 1230-1500 Canada v Switzerland (Eurosport 1) LIVE
21 March 1230-1500 Canada v Scotland (Eurosport 1) LIVE
22 March 1230-1500 Germany v Denmark (Eurosport 1) LIVE
23 March 1230-1500 Russia v China (Eurosport 2) LIVE
24 March 1230-1500 Playoff 1v2 (Eurosport 2) LIVE
26 March 0930-1200 Gold Medal Game (Eurosport 2) LIVE
27 March 1200-1300 Gold Medal Game (Eurosport 1) HIGHLIGHTS
Unfortunately I have better other things to do on Saturday, so it will be Sunday night before I give my first report.
Cabbage is still good for you