Today, May 26, the Arctic Curling Cup concludes the group stage and the participants of the semifinals are determined.

In group A Russians Anastasia Bryzgalova and Alexey Timofeev met Canadians Reid Carruthers and Joanne Courtney. The first end was taken by the Russian team, but then the Canadians won 5 (!) ends in a row with a total score of 7-0. The Russians managed to interrupt this series by winning two rocksin the 7th end, but in the last end Canadians confidently knocked all Russian rocks out of the house, so the outcome was decided until the last throw. Result is 7:4 in favor of the Canadian team. As a result, both teams finished the group stage with the result of 2 wins and 2 losses, and their fate was decided in a parallel match between the Czechs and the Scots. After the match between the Russian and Canadian pairs, the Scots needed only a victory to reach the semi-finals, and the Czechs have already secured a place in the playoffs. In the case of the victory of the Czechs in Bryzgalova and Timofeev could enter semifinals on the results of training shots.

Czechs, despite the early release to the semifinals, played in full force and before the last end were up 6-4. Scots managed to escape with the last throw, winning two rocks. Thee need to play the extra end, in which the last throw was already with the Czechs. After very good last rock by the Scots Czechs had to do something incredible to win the end. The Czechs preferred a strong throw at the guards, but it did not work, the end was for the Scots, the score of the game – 7:6. They reached the semi-finals in first place with the Czechs in second, leaving the Russians in this group without the playoffs. At the same time in a personal meeting the Russians yesterday very confidently beat the Scots.

Group A summary

1. Scotland: 3 wins, 1 loss

2. Czech Republic: 3 wins, 1 loss

3. Canada: 2 wins, 2 losses

4. Russia 1: 2 wins, 2 losses

5. Sweden: 0 wins, 4 losses