World Mixed Doubles Championship playoff
Canada’s bid for its first World Mixed Doubles gold medal came to a disappointing end Friday morning.
The Canadian team of Kadriana Lott and Colton Lott from Gimli bowed 6-5 in an extra end to Estonia’s Marie Kaldvee and Harri Lill in the 2024 World Mixed Doubles Championship playoff qualification round at the Oestersund Arena. With the win, the Estonians advance to the semifinal later on Friday, when they’ll play Norway’s Kristin Skaslien and Magnus Nedregotten.
Canada will finish fifth in the championship, which puts our country in solid shape to qualify for the 10-team field for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. The combined results of the 2024 and 2025 World Mixed Doubles Championships will determine seven of the teams that will compete alongside host Italy. The remaining two teams will come out of the Olympic Qualification Event in December 2025.
Team Lott/Lott had last-rock advantage in the extra end after holding Estonia to a single in the eighth end. But Kadriana Lott came up just short on her draw that needed to cover the pin for the victory.
“We gave it everything we had,” said Colton Lott after the game. “It’s disappointing, for sure. But we’re going to take this and learn from it and look for ways to be even better next season.”
And next season will be crucial as the Canadian Mixed Doubles Trials are just eight months away — Dec. 30-Jan. 4 in Liverpool, N.S. — and Team Lott/Lott, coming off an unbeaten performance at the Canadian championship last month in Fredericton, N.B., and posting an 8-2 record at the World Championship, will be among the favourites. The Trials will decide Canada’s mixed doubles team that would be nominated to compete at the Olympics, pending our country’s qualification.
“Right now, yes, this is feeling really tough, but we know we have a lot to look forward to,” said Kadriana Lott. “We came together even more as a team, and learned more about what it takes to be successful at this level.”
It was a back-and-forth game against Estonia, with neither team able to generate control. Even with the power play — Estonia in the sixth end, Canada in the seventh — both teams were held to just single points.
In the extra end, though, Estonia was able to get a rock buried and bite the button, leaving that tough draw for Kadriana Lott.
In the other playoff qualifying game, Switzerland’s Briar Huerlimann-Schwaller and Yannick Schwaller defeated Scotland’s Sophie Jackson and Duncan McFadzean 8-6. They will play Sweden in the semifinal later Friday.
Team Canada, meanwhile, now turns its focus to Liverpool.
“We’ll be working hard to get ready for those Trials,” said Colton Lott. “In a few days, Kadriana and I will be able to reflect on what we accomplished here. Even though we’re hurting right now, I couldn’t be prouder of Kadriana, and proud of what we have done this season. This was another step forward in the process.”
Submitted by Curl Canada
