2025 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship playoffs preview
And then there were six: We’re down to the playoffs at the 2025 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship in Fredericton with six teams remaining in the chase for gold.
Both group leaders received byes to the semifinals, with the second-place teams crossing over to play the third-place teams in the qualification games.
Here’s a look at Friday morning’s qualification games (10 a.m. AT / 9 a.m. ET) and what’s ahead for the winners in the evening semifinals (6 p.m. AT / 5 p.m. ET).
Qualification Game 1: Canada vs. Estonia
Canada and Estonia face off in the qualification round for the second straight season, but with a twist. Marie Kaldvee and Harri Lill return for Estonia, but Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant represent Canada this time around. Kaldvee and Lill eliminated Canada’s Kadriana and Colton Lott last year en route to silver medals.
Peterman and Gallant enter the playoffs on a bit of a downer after losing 8-7 to Scotland in an extra end to wrap up round-robin play Thursday afternoon. Scotland scored an equalizing three points in the eighth end to force the extra and stole the winning point on a measurement. Both teams finished with 7-2 records, however, the head-to-head result meant Scotland finished second and Canada finished third in Group A.
It was a madhouse in Group B as Estonia, the United States and Norway all finished in a tie for second with 6-3 records and drama down to the wire as Estonia needed an extra end to solve Czechia in their round-robin finale. With the game tied in the eighth, Czechia just needed to hit and stick, but rolled out to blank the end.
Head-to-head between Estonia, the United States and Norway was a rock-paper-scissors scenario as they all had a win over each other, so it came down to their draw-to-the-button shootout scores. Estonia held the best average of the bunch at 20.29 cm to grab the B2 seed, while the United States took the B3 seed with a 22.61 cm average, leaving last year’s bronze medallist Norway (24.09 cm) as the odd team out.
Canada finished preliminary play with the best last stone efficiency at 63 per cent and tied for second with the United States in points for/against with a plus-31 differential. By comparison, Estonia was tied for 10th in last stone efficiency at 41 per cent and was ninth in points for/against with a plus-10 differential.
Peterman and Gallant also tied the U.S. in fewest stolen ends allowed (three). We already mentioned one of them in the loss to Scotland, but the other two came during Canada’s 7-5 loss to Italy. Peterman and Gallant were leading 5-4 with the hammer but gave up a steal of one in the seventh and two in the eighth.
The Canadian pair finished third in shooting at 84.1 per cent, while Estonia was tied for ninth at 79.0 per cent.
Although Canada has the edge in the stats, don’t underestimate Estonia. Both teams can breathe a bit easier knowing they’ve secured spots for their countries in next year’s Winter Olympics in Italy.
Winner plays: Italy
Stefania Constantini and Amos Mosaner reunited and indeed, it feels so good. The reigning Olympic gold medallists rolled through Group A, posting a perfect 9-0 record.
Italy is already guaranteed a spot in next year’s Winter Olympics as the host and perhaps playing like they have nothing to lose is why they haven’t lost.
The team finished fifth in last stone efficiency (53 per cent), but sometimes the best offence is a good defence. Constantini and Mosaner gave up the fewest points (35) and tied with Japan for the most ends stolen (15).
Constantini and Mosaner went undefeated en route to Olympic gold in Beijing three years ago and are now two wins away from another trip to the top of the podium.
Qualification Game 2: Scotland vs. United States
This should be quite the clash as both teams are former world champions. Jennifer Dodds and Bruce Mouat won the title in 2021 while Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin were victorious in 2023.
Scotland (7-2) sustained back-to-back losses to South Korea and Italy but regrouped to finish preliminary play strong with three straight wins, including narrow one-point victories over Sweden and Canada.
The U.S. (6-3) has been the sharpest this week, leading all teams in shooting at 87 per cent. Thiesse topped all players at 90.3 per cent.
Scotland ranked fifth among teams, shooting 83.3 per cent.
Thiesse and Dropkin finished third in last stone efficiency (57 per cent) and tied for second in points for/against (plus-31), while Dodds and Mouat were fourth in last stone efficiency (56 per cent) and fifth in points for/against (plus-23).
Thievery was also key for the U.S., ranking third in stolen ends (14) and first in stolen points (23).
Dodds and Mouat have ensured Great Britain a spot at the Winter Olympics, however, Thiesse and Dropkin are still in the hunt to lock up a place for the U.S.
Winner plays: Australia
Australia koala-fied for the playoffs — and a bye to the semifinals — with an 8-1 record. The team’s lone loss came Monday with a 7-4 decision against Japan.
Tahli Gill and Dean Hewitt are playing in their sixth World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship together. Let’s not forget they also competed in the 2022 Winter Olympics and scored a 10-8 win over Canada that helped knock Rachel Homan and John Morris (their former coach) out of playoff contention.
Australia was second in last stone efficiency at 61 per cent and fourth in points for/against with a plus-28 differential. Gill and Hewitt also gave up the second-fewest points (40).
The pair are looking for Australia’s first medal in any world curling championship competition. They came close once before, losing to Thiesse and John Shuster in the bronze medal game in 2019. A spot on the podium would also secure Australia a spot in the 2026 Winter Olympics.