Nail-biting games at Winter Games curling events

Nail-biting games at 100% Pure New Zealand Winter Games curling events

NASEBY, New Zealand (August 24, 2011) – It was an exciting fifth day at the 100% Pure New Zealand Winter Games in Naseby with some close finishes and plenty of action.

The NZ Women played yesterday’s afternoon game with Korea taking on the New Zealand Juniors and winning 9-5 and Japan beat The New Zealand Women’s team 6-2. China had the bye.

The Men’s Fours played in the evening. It was a nail-biting game between China and Korea. It was a draw 6 all at the end of the tenth end so an extra eleventh end needed to be played to determine the winner. China managed to draw shot on their last stone of the game to win 7-6.

Japan opened the scoring against the New Zealand Juniors. The Juniors scored 3 points in the fourth and were catching up after receiving 2 points in the eighth but Japan scored 5 in the ninth ending the game 12-5.

Australia proved too strong for New Zealand, leading from the start and winning after nine ends 8-5. Australian player, Jay Merchant put their success down to capitalising on opportunities throughout the game. “Each team had opportunities and our team managed to capitalise on them. NZ curled very well but they had some tough breaks during the game and that helped us win the game. We needed that win to stay in contention” he said.

The two New Zealand Women’s teams played each other in the first round of day five of the curling events. New Zealand Women played the New Zealand Juniors. On the Women’s last delivery of the eighth, Brydie Donald used a hit and roll to knock the Juniors’ shot stone out and gain 1 point. Chelsea Farley from the Juniors replied with a great draw shot on their last stone of the ninth to get within one point of the Women’s team who finished the game ahead 8-7.

China once again took control in their game against Korea winning after eight ends by an easy 9-3 margin. Japan had the bye.

The Mixed Doubles were held in the second round of the day. Switzerland played New Zealand in a gripping match that was tied 4 all after the sixth end. Switzerland had shot stone in the eighth end so received 1 point, drawing with New Zealand 5 all and giving them an extra end to play. At the end of the ninth and with last stone advantage New Zealand player Sean Becker threw a guard to protect shot stone. Switzerland tried to do an angled raise takeout but failed to move the New Zealand stone. This gave New Zealand a 7-5 win. Sean said “it was a fantastic game played by two really good teams. In the eighth end we had a couple of half-shots and it was hard to get anything going - the same thing happened in the extra end. The positioned stone ended up remaining in place to be shot. The angles weren’t happening and sometimes that’s the way it goes.”

Japan got off to a great start against Latvia but Latvia caught up and it was 4 all after four ends. An angled raise gave Latvia a 4 point advantage at the end of the sixth 8-6. Japan came back in the seventh but Latvia scored again on the eighth and won the game 9-7.

Finland played Hungary in a game that featured some high scores with Finland scoring a 4 in the third and Hungary a 5 in the fourth. Hungary won after the sixth end 10-4. Gyorgy Nagy from Hungary said “We enjoyed it (the game) very much - it was a good game. We felt we have been a bit up and down and know that if we want to be here on Saturday we have to win our games and that was our target for today. We have two tough games against New Zealand and China to come.”

China played USA and came away with a 9-4 win. Australia had the bye.

This afternoon the Men’s fours continue play. China plays the New Zealand Seniors, Australia plays Japan and the New Zealand Juniors play Korea. New Zealand Men have the bye. The Mixed Doubles play their second round of the day tonight with Latvia playing Finland, Australia playing USA, Japan playing Switzerland and Hungary playing New Zealand. China has the bye.

100% Pure New Zealand Winter Games continues tomorrow (25 August) with the mixed doubles round robin, women’s double round robin, the and the men’s round robin.

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