Draw #10: Canada vs. France

This afternoon's draw features a game between two of the top teams (so far) in the tournament. Canada is unbeaten at 5-0, and France has a 4-1 record. I may not be watching the other sheets much.

As the team entered the arena, the crowd went wild with appreciation. Here's why:


It is "Green Day" at the arena, honouring the Saskatchewan RoughRiders CFL team. I'd guess that well over half the crowd is wearing something green, and it is typically a jacket or jersey with a RoughRider logo on it.

End 9. After a bit of miss by Mead let FR set up a force of one, FR made a poor shot, followed by a run-back double by Stoughton to split the rings. FR tries to draw around the CA stone in the top 4' and ends up shot in the back 4'. Stoughton runs back a CA stone for 3. CA 11, FR 5 and handshakes, as Stoughton puts the green jacket back on.

End 8. Do you think maybe Canada let up a bit in the 6th and 7th ends? It sure looks that way. Once again, the play is in the centre. That makes for exciting curling. Carruthers doubles off a couple of FR rocks, so all the play is now in the rings. Mead now doubles off two more FR rocks, leaving his shooter as a guard. CA has three rocks in the top of the house, but with FR hits and CA misses, Stoughton is facing two FR rocks in the top 4' and must double them off to blank the end. CA 8, FR 5

End 7. As the 7th end begins, every player for the Canadian team is curling in the 90s, and every curler for the French team is curling in the 70s. Yet I wonder if I was hasty in thinking this game might end quickly. More play up the middle, but this time FR has a rock on the button and seems to be protecting it rather well. Attempts to double it off have failed, and Stoughton misses an angle take-out (I didn't understand why he was trying that). FR steals one. CA 8, FR 5. It ain't over 'til it's over...

End 6. I doubt this game will last long, so I'll just continue here without beginning a new post. Canada starts with two in the rings, and FR has one top12 and side 8. After more play, Mead slams into the pile, leaving Canada shot with a FR rock on the side. FR could hit and stick to split the rings, but they need more than a deuce, so they freeze. But Stoughton hits and sticks on the other FR rock to lie two. FR has a tough cross-rings double attempt but rolls the other way to the side 12. Stoughton hit, but didn't roll to the 8', leaving a hit for two by FR. CA 8, FR 4

End 5. The curling scores reflect what is going on. After four ends, the two middle curlers for France are each curling only 59%. Again, most of the rocks are along the centre line, but there are fewer in play than in the third end. Stoughton is amazing. He doubled off two FR stones to lie two (it wasn't an easy double). FR hit, but rolled out, leaving an open draw for two. CA 8, FR2

End 4. Canada has two in the top 8', and France has one frozen to them; with their next rock, FR tries to draw around them, but drifts back to the back 12'. With his first rock, Stoughton tries to freeze to the FR rock in the back, but bounces a bit open. FR slams into the rocks in the top of the house, but leaves CA shot. FR must hit and stick for one. CA 6, FR 2

End 3. Standard opening #2, with CA rocks in the rings and no corner guards with the result that tones of rocks are lined up along the centre line. France did a nice job of removing a bunch of Canadian stones, but left a tap out by Stoughton for three more. CA 6, FR 1

End 2. As the end progressed, Canada had quite a few rocks in play, but not behind guards. Neverthess, French errors allowed Canada to split the rings with one rock behind a corner guard, forcing France to draw for one. CA 3, FR 1

End 1. Canada has the hammer and by the time they get to vice rocks, Canada has the rings split. Several mistakes by France let Canada leave four counters in the rings after Mead's second stone. Angiboust (vice, but throws skip's stones for France) removes one and rolls over to freeze against Canada's shot rock. Stoughton somehow picks it out and lies three. Angiboust tries for double but gets only one, leaving an open draw for three for Canada. CA 3, FR 0
[note: at the conclusion of the first end, every player on Team Canada was curling 100%]