Kerri Einarson and her team just showed why they belong among curling’s elite. Their 6-5 victory over Japan on Friday secured a spot in the women’s world curling championship semifinals. The win happened right here at WinSport Event Centre, where the energy felt electric.
Canada finished pool play with an impressive 10-2 record. Only Switzerland topped that performance at 11-1. Both teams earned the luxury of skipping Saturday’s playoff rounds. They’ll face their semifinal opponents directly on Saturday evening instead.
Japan, Sweden, Turkey, and South Korea must battle it out earlier Saturday. The winners join Canada and Switzerland in the final four. Medal games follow on Sunday.
I’ve covered enough curling tournaments in this city to know when a team hits its stride. Einarson’s squad delivered exactly that kind of performance against Satsuki Fujisawa’s experienced Japanese side. Fujisawa captured Olympic silver back in 2022, so this wasn’t some easy matchup.
The Manitoba rink from Gimli Curling Club showed remarkable precision. Third Val Sweeting posted a stunning 99 percent shooting percentage. Second Shannon Birchard hit 93 percent. Lead Karlee Burgess came in at 97 percent.
Those numbers tell only part of the story. Einarson executed several big-weight hits that produced multi-point ends. Her last throw in the eighth end displayed nerves of steel. She threaded a tight port for a double takeout that scored two points. That gave Canada a commanding 6-3 lead.
The skip’s triple takeout in the sixth end also scored two points. Her wide double hit in the third limited Japan to just one. Smart line calling from vice-skip Sweeting helped throughout. The front end’s brushing made crucial differences on several shots.
“We definitely upped it this game,” Einarson told reporters afterward. “We knew we had to. Japan’s a wonderful team.”
She praised her entire lineup’s performance. “Right from lead to skip, we played really well and put a lot of pressure on them. Very good rock placement.”
The team didn’t achieve perfection. A couple rocks slid deeper than planned. But they avoided complete misses. “We got something out of every shot and I think that’s key,” Einarson noted.
Canada bounced back strong after an extra-end loss to Norway the previous evening. They crushed Australia 11-2 in Friday’s afternoon session. That kind of resilience matters during grueling tournament schedules.
The hometown crowd at WinSport Event Centre brought serious energy. A full house roared throughout the Japan match. “It’s so loud,” Einarson said with obvious appreciation. “I love it.”
I remember covering her first world championship in this same building back in 2021. COVID-19 restrictions meant no fans attended. The empty arena felt hollow and strange. What a difference atmosphere makes for athletes performing at this level.
Einarson and her teammates are chasing their first women’s world curling crown. Rachel Homan won back-to-back titles for Canada in 2024 and 2025. That streak set high expectations for whoever wears the maple leaf.
Val Sweeting’s 99 percent performance marked a tournament high at the third position. Her Japanese counterpart Tori Koana managed only 75 percent. Sweeting struggled through three games below 80 percent earlier in the tournament. She persevered through those rough patches.
“I felt kind of close all week and just wasn’t always getting them,” Sweeting explained. “But I thought that we did a good job of figuring them out and managing them well.”
She emphasized staying focused on fundamentals. “Just tried to keep throwing them close. It was nice to get those results and make those shots when the team needed them.”
The direct semifinal berth provides valuable recovery time. Einarson’s team played eight games across four days. That included three consecutive days of “splits” featuring both morning and night draws. The physical and mental toll adds up quickly.
“It’s a relief. It feels quite nice actually,” Einarson admitted. “It’s still like sudden death and we still have a job to do. We’re definitely excited and ready for it.”
Canada will face whoever emerges victorious from Saturday’s Japan-Turkey playoff game. Japan finished pool play at 9-3. Turkey posted a 7-5 record in what marked historic achievement for their program.
Dilşat Yıldız led Turkey to its first-ever playoff appearance at the women’s world championship. That’s her fifth appearance at this event. Breaking through after years of trying deserves recognition regardless of what happens next.
Switzerland awaits the winner between Sweden and South Korea. South Korea finished at 8-4 during pool play.
Einarson, Sweeting, and Birchard earned bronze medals at the 2022 and 2023 world championships. They played alongside lead Briane Harris then. Both years they ranked third in pool play. That meant taking longer routes to reach the semifinals.
This year feels different. The direct semifinal berth provides both rest and momentum.
The team won their first Canadian championship in 2020. But the pandemic cancelled that year’s world championship. That disappointment lingered for years. Now they’re positioned to finally chase the title that got away.
Calgary’s curling fans understand what’s at stake. This city lives and breathes the sport every winter. The crowd at WinSport Event Centre will bring incredible energy again Saturday evening.
I’ve watched Einarson’s career develop over several years covering this beat. Her team’s evolution shows dedication and resilience. They’ve experienced heartbreak and near-misses. But they keep improving and adjusting.
Saturday’s semifinal represents another opportunity. Just one game from Sunday’s medal round. Two wins separate them from gold.
The Japanese team likely feels motivated for a rematch. Turkey would bring underdog energy. Either opponent presents serious challenges.
But Canada looks ready. Their precision against Japan demonstrated playoff-caliber curling. Sweeting’s shooting percentage showed they can peak when it matters most.
Sunday feels a long way off still. Plenty can happen between now and those medal games. But Canada positioned themselves exactly where they wanted to be.
