The Latvian national team, consisting of Renars Freidensons, Evita Regža, Aleksandras Baranovskis and Betija Gulbi, defeated Japan 6: 2 for the first time on Thursday.
The Latvians scored four points in the first three rounds and did not let go of the reins in the next match. In the eighth final, when it became clear that the Japanese couldn’t fight back, the fight was over.
In the second match of the day, Latvian curlers beat Ukraine 8: 3.
The Latvians started the game with four points in the first end, “stealing” another point in the next two ends. In the fourth end, the first point was scored by the Ukrainians, but in the next two the Latvian national team scored a point again, reaching 8: 1. In the next pot, the Ukrainians recovered two points, but the last one was not played.
With five wins from eight games, Latvia can no longer enter the round of 16, as Sweden have won all eight Group B games, while Japan and Norway have won six each. Latvia remained in fifth place, like the Czech Republic with five successes.
It has already been reported that in the first match the Latvian team beat Taiwan 6: 4, in the second they lost to Norway 7: 8 in extra time, then they defeated Nigeria 16: 3 and Ireland 7: 5, but in the Fifth game they suffered 4: 8 The superiority of the Czech Republic and lost to Sweden in the sixth game with 2:10.
In the Latvian national team, Regža and Freidenson have the most curling experience both at the Latvian, European and world championship level, Baranovskis has only competed in division B of the junior world championship, while this will be Gulbe’s first tournament of this degree.
Latvia compete in Group B, which also includes Taiwan, the Czech Republic, Ireland, Japan, Nigeria, Norway, Sweden and Ukraine.
35 national teams, divided into four groups, compete in the World Championship. For the first time the Indian national team participates in the world championships.
Teams, in which two women and two men play alternately, first play an Italian-style tournament in the subgroup. The top finishers of each group will automatically advance to the quarter-finals, while the second and third place in each group will determine the remaining four quarter-finals. The decisive medal battles will take place on October 22nd.
The last match of the mixed team world championship took place in 2019, when the Canadians became the champions, beating the German national team in the final.
The Mixed Team World Championship takes place from 15 to 22 October.
