Mens World Curling: Dunstone’s Canada Avoids Second Near-Collapse, Now Faces Italy for Playoff Spot
At the mens world curling championship in Ogden, Utah, the arena smelled of swept ice and hot breath as Team Matt Dunstone limped past Norway in an extra end; the victory saved a streak but underscored late-game vulnerability that will follow Canada into the playoffs.
Mens World Curling: How a ninth-end lapse reshaped Canada’s finish
The Canadian rink of Matt Dunstone, Colton Lott, E. J. Harnden and Geoff Walker held a 5-2 advantage through eight ends before Norway rallied. Dunstone missed a key shot in the ninth, allowing Norway to score two and cut the lead to 5-4. Canada still held the hammer in the tenth, but Dunstone’s last-shot double takeout was stuffed after a lighter release and extra curl, giving Norway a steal to tie 5-5 and send the game to an extra end. Dunstone recovered with a decisive hit in the extra end to secure a 6-5 win over the Norwegians, who finished the round-robin 0-12.
Canada’s late-game difficulties were not isolated: the same pattern of a strong midgame followed by missed critical shots on closing ends had appeared the day prior. That inconsistency cost Canada a top-two finish in the 13-team round-robin, with Sweden and Scotland surpassing them on the draw-to-the-button tiebreaker. Canada finished third at 10-2 and now must play Italy in a qualification game, with the winner set to face Scotland in one semifinal.
What the round-robin revealed about contenders and responses
Beyond Canada’s narrow escape, a few clear narratives emerged. Scotland’s rookie team led by skip Ross Whyte ran an unbroken 10-game winning streak after a slow start, positioning them as the favourite heading into the playoffs. The Scottish four of Ross Whyte, third Robin Brydone, second Craig Waddell and lead Euan Kyle posted top team numbers at 89 percent across the round-robin.
Italy’s path to a playoff spot was altered days before the championship when Joel Retornaz stepped away and 20-year-old Stefano Spiller stepped in as skip. In the opening meeting with Canada, Spiller shot 60 percent, a modest mark for a substitute; the Italian team’s chemistry and Spiller’s growing confidence suggest a different test awaits Canada in the qualification game than the lopsided early result.
Separately, Switzerland and the U. S. will meet in the other qualification game, with the winner scheduled to face Sweden in the semifinal. Those matchups reflect how slim margins and tiebreak procedures reshaped seeding and created a playoff map heavy with rematches and fresh tests.
Human stakes and what teams are doing next
For Dunstone’s Manitoba-based rink, the immediate response is practical and familiar: regroup and rely on strengths that produced an eight-game winning streak during the tournament. The team’s mid-event dominance—winning most ends through the earlier portions of games—remains a foundation to build from, even as closing-end execution requires attention.
Italy, having adjusted its lineup shortly before the championship, will likely field a more settled unit than in the opener. Stefano Spiller’s increased confidence and better grasp of teammate preferences were cited as reasons the matchup should be treated differently in the rematch. Scotland’s consistent four-person performance provides a measuring stick for any team advancing from the qualification games.
The immediate plan for teams in qualification is straightforward: treat the next game as a new contest. For Canada, that means correcting endgame release and weight to prevent repeats of the ninth- and tenth-end errors. For Italy, it means sustaining Spiller’s rising form and leveraging any momentum gained since the opening day.
Back in the arena where the first scene unfolded, the scent of iron filings from celebrity stones and the scrape of brooms returned as players warmed up days later. Canada’s close extra-end win over Norway is now a hinge point: it preserved an unbeaten run in recent play but left questions about closing form that will define the next match. As the teams move into qualification and semifinal paths, that single extra-end will be remembered not only for the victory it delivered, but for the warning it delivered about the fine margins separating confident control from sudden, near-collapse.
