After securing victory at the Montana’s Brier championship earlier this month, Brad Jacobs and his Canadian team continued their success at the men’s curling world championship in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. In their opening game, Jacobs and his Calgary-based squad triumphed over Japan’s Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi with a score of 7-3. They followed up with another win against Germany’s Marc Muskatewitz in the evening, finishing with a 7-5 victory.
Jacobs expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance, stating, “A great day, I couldn’t ask for more. We beat two good teams today.” The Canadian team started strong in the afternoon match, maintaining a blank score for the first three ends as they adjusted to the ice conditions at the Temple Gardens Centre venue, which boasts a seating capacity of 4,200.
The game saw Jacobs strategically scoring in the fourth end, followed by a strong showing in the fifth end, where they pressured Japan’s Riku Yanagisawa to make a challenging draw against three counters. The Canadian team extended their lead by securing three points in the sixth end, ultimately clinching the victory over Japan.
In subsequent matches, other teams also showcased their skills with American Korey Dropkin narrowly defeating Italy’s Joel Retornaz 7-6, Switzerland’s Yannick Schwaller prevailing over Norway’s Magnus Ramsfjell 7-4, and Czechia’s Lukas Klima edging out South Korea’s Hyojun Kim 6-5.
Facing off against the reigning European champion Muskatewitz, the Canadian team faced a tougher challenge in the late draw. While initially leading comfortably, Canada had a brief setback when Germany capitalized on a Canadian error in the ninth end, narrowing the gap to 6-5. In the final moments of the game, Jacobs executed a precise shot in the 10th end to secure the win.
With round-robin play ongoing until Friday, the top six teams among the 13 participating will advance to the weekend playoffs. Notably, Gallant, Hebert, and Kennedy bring a wealth of experience to the Canadian team, each having achieved world titles in the past. The competition features top-ranked contenders like Bruce Mouat of Scotland and Niklas Edin of Sweden, with the event serving as a crucial qualifier for the upcoming 2026 Milan Olympics.
