Curling-Rock-solid Britain beat Canada to edge closer to playoffs

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy, Feb 7 : Britain's Jennifer Dodds and Bruce Mouat continued their impressive start to the curling mixed doubles competition at the Milano Cortina Olympics on Saturday, securing a 7-5 win over Canada's Brett Gallant and Jocelyn Peterman.

Mouat and Dodds, who were world champions in 2021 and finished in fourth place at the Beijing Olympics in 2022, have won their first six games.

They racked up a 7-2 lead in Saturday's game but appeared at risk of giving that up when Gallant lined up four stones in the house in the sixth end, before a spectacular triple-takeout by Dodds limited the damage and helped them along to victory.

Britain sit atop the round-robin standings, though they have played two more games than the United States' Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin, who are also unbeaten. The two teams will meet in Saturday's afternoon session.

"We're going to try and get a good rest between the next game because they're obviously undefeated as well," Mouat said.

"I think we're just in a very good spot and we're communicating really well and we now know what the ice is going to do for the rest of the event I think. We're happy with where we are."

Teams play nine times in the round-robin stage, which continues on Saturday at the Cortina Olympic Curling Centre, with the top four advancing to the semi-finals next week.

Sweden's Isabella and Rasmus Wranaa clinched a 13-7 win over Switzerland's Briar Schwaller-Huerlimann and Yannick Schwaller after hitting three-pointers in the last two ends.

It was a crucial win for the Swedes, 2024 world champions, with both teams sitting just outside the top four spots.

Asked if they had been thinking about the permutations that would see them qualify for the semi-finals, Rasmus