Canada advances to face Norway, hoping to win 1st wheelchair curling world title since 2013

Canada’s wheelchair curling team is going for gold at the world championships for the first time in over a decade.

Led by skip and lead Mark Ideson, the Canadians beat Sweden 4-2 on Friday for their fifth straight win in Gangneung, South Korea. Canada will face Norway in the final at 9 p.m. ET with a chance to win its first world title since 2013.

Ideson’s mixed team consists of second Gil Dash of Wolseley, Sask., third Ina Forrest of Spallumcheen, B.C., fourth Jon Thurston of Dunford, Ont., and alternate Chrissy Molnar of Trent Lakes, Ont.

Thurston drew to the eight-foot ring to score two points in the sixth end for a 3-2 lead before Canada stole another point in the seventh.

With Ideson at the helm, Canada fell just short of gold at last year’s worlds, losing to China in the final on home ice in Richmond, B.C. The Canadians went 9-3 en route to this year’s final, with losses against two-time reigning champion China, the United states and Scotland. They blanked Norway 8-0 on Thursday in round-robin play.

Ideson, who hails from London, Ont., also took home world-championship silver in 2020. The 47-year-old was an alternate on Canada’s gold-medal winning teams at the 2013 worlds and 2014 Paralympics before skipping Canada to bronze at the last two Winter Games.

Norway, skipped by Jostein Stordahl, last won a world title in 2017 at the same venue. The Norwegians advanced to Friday’s final with a 7-3 upset of China, which will face Sweden for bronze.

Live coverage of the medal games will be available on YouTube. The Gangneung Curling Centre was also host to the 2018 Paralympic tournament.