By Gary Anderson

March 23 - The victorious Switzerland team celebrate with the World Championship trophy ©CCAMichael BurnsSwitzerland, led by skip Binia Feltscher, reclaimed the World Women's Curling Championship title after defeating hosts Canada 9-5 in the gold medal match at Saint John's Harbour Station, while Russia secured an historic bronze with victory over South Korea.

The expectant Canadian crowd would have been eyeing a major double following the success of its curlers at Sochi 2014, but the squad line-up in Saint John contained no members of the Olympic gold medal-winning line-up.

Instead, skip Rachel Homan led Lisa Weagle, Alison Kreviazuk, Emma Miskew and alternate Stephanie LeDrew into battle against a Swiss side looking for its second world title in three years after taking the 2012 crown in Alberta.

Feltscher, along with teammates Christine Urech, Franziska Kaufmann, Irene Schori and alternate Carole Howald, also did not feature at Sochi 2014, where Switzerland finished well outside the medals, but they showed their class today to run out relatively comfortable winners.

After a scoreless opening two ends, Canada took a two-point lead in the third but were swiftly back on level terms after the next, before Homan tapped out a Swiss stone in the fifth to restore a two-point lead for the hosts.

In the seventh, Homan again made the difference as she drew her last stone to give the Canadians a 5-3 lead.

However, it was Feltscher's turn to show her class in the eighth as she scored three points with her final effort to put her side into a one-point lead.

Canada had to settle for a second World Championship silver medal in a row after also finishing as runners-up in Latvia last year ©Getty Images Canada had to settle for a second World Championship silver medal in a row after also finishing as runners-up in Latvia last year ©Getty Images



The ninth end saw another three-point gain for the Swiss, as Homan's attempt to promote one of her own stones off the wing missed, giving the opposition a decisive 9-5 lead before Switzerland ran Canada out of stones in the tenth to take the win.

"It can't be better - winning a world curling championship in Canada against Canada is amazing," said a delighted Swiss skip afterwards.

"We were not expecting this at all.

"Our goal was to be placed in the top five.

"And a bronze medal would already have been fantastic for us.

"Now it's gold and it feels just unbelievable."

Anna Sidorova (centre) led Russia to its first ever medal at a World Championships in Canada ©Getty Images Anna Sidorova (centre) led Russia to its first ever medal at a World Championships in Canada ©Getty Images



History was made in the bronze medal match as the Russian team of skip Anna Sidorova, Ekaterina Galkina, Alexandra Saitova and Margarita Fomina secured a first ever podium finish at the World Championships by overcoming South Korea 7-6 after an extra end.

The Russians garnered a 2-0 lead after three ends before Un Chi Gim pulled a point back for the South Koreans in the fourth.

Gim was the star again in the seventh end as she drew her side level at 3-3 with a two-point stone, before following that up with a three-point hit to give her side what looked like a decisive 6-4 lead.

However, it was Sidorova's turn to demonstrate her skill under pressure as she landed her second stone in the house to score two points in the tenth to send the game into an extra end.

In that extra end, Gim attempted to hit and roll into shot position, but hit the wrong side of her target stone and rolled out, giving Russia a steal of one point and their place on the podium.

"This is a very big day for us and Russian curling," said Sidorova.

"I'm so happy and don't have enough words to describe how I'm feeling."

"I probably still can't believe that happened.

"But I am pretty sure now that we are able to play at a really high level."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related Stories
March 2014: 
Switzerland to face Canada in World Women's Curling Championship final
December 2012: Saint John to host 2014 Ford World Women's Curling Championships