Team Canada win streak snapped at 2026 BKT World Women’s Championship

A run of five straight victories to open the 2026 BKT World Women’s Curling Championship, presented by Pharmasave, came to an end Tuesday night for Canada’s Team Kerri Einarson.

The Canadian champs from Gimli, Man., bowed 6-5 in an extra end to Switzerland’s Team Xenia Schwaller (6-1) at Calgary’s WinSport Event Centre.

The narrow setback left Einarson, vice-skip Val Sweeting, second Shannon Birchard, lead Karlee Burgess, alternate Krysten Karwacki, team coach Reid Carruthers, national coach Viktor Kjell with a 5-1 record, in second place behind the leading Swiss.

It was a disappointing result to be sure, but, said Einarson, grinding to get to an extra end when her team didn’t have its best draw weight was something positive to take home for an all-too-brief sleep before another morning-night split-draw day on Wednesday.

“I thought we played pretty good, and we made some really big shots,” said Einarson. “And I think if we can keep that going forward, and we should be OK.”

Einarson, in fact, had a very real opportunity to win the game in the 10th, needing to make an angle raise takeout to remove three Swiss counters. She was just wide, however, and only managed to score two to force the extra end.

There, she managed to get her final stone buried in the full four-foot, but Schwaller was perfect on her cold draw to the button for the win.

“I think we battled,” said Burgess. “We actually had a really good opportunity in 10 to score a potential three, and get a deuce for sure. In the extra end we probably put Kerri’s (last shot) in the best spot we could have. We hung tough and stayed in it, so I’m proud of the girls.”

Neither team was able to establish much in the way of momentum, and Einarson had to make a nice shot in the early going to force the Swiss to a single point in the first. Her first-rock double takeout on her first stone, was followed by Schwaller jamming on her own double attempt. Einarson drew in to sit two, forcing the Swiss to take one.

Two ends later, Einarson again had to make big shots — a raise double takeout on her first, and a raise takeout on her second to take a single.

In the fourth, Schwaller had a shot at two with a steep-angle double takeout but her shooter spun just outside of the rings and she settled for one to retake the lead.

Canada missed four consecutive runbacks in the fifth end in an attempt to build a multiple score, and in the end, Einarson had to make a marvellous takeout through a tight port just to score one and tie the game.

The Swiss were forced again to a single in the sixth, but in the seventh, a red-light hog-line violation by Sweeting was a key factor in Switzerland landing three stones buried in the rings. Einarson made a crucial draw to bite a piece of the button just to give up a steal of one, and the Swiss took a two-point lead.

Einarson nearly made a Hail Mary angle double raise in the eighth end that could have scored a game-tying deuce, but was barely off target and settled for one, but managed to force the Swiss to settle for a single in the ninth, setting the stage for the drama of the 10th and 11th ends.

“I think both teams had a hard time generating deuces,” said Einarson. “We were a little conservative or just getting a half shot here or there. But I think we can sharpen up on a little bit of our weight control.”

It was a loss, but not even in the wildest dreams of Canada’s players did any of them think that running the table in Calgary was a realistic possibility.

“One hundred per cent, no — it’s such a long week,” said Burgess. “I was looking up at the scoreboard and it showed who we play next and I was thinking, ‘We’re not even halfway through yet!’ It’s hard to go undefeated playing the best teams in the world, so one loss will just make us a little bit tougher and hopefully continue to build as we go through the week.”

In other Draw 11 games, South Korea’s Team Eunji Gim (5-2) rolled to a 12-3 triumph over Australia’s Team Helen Williams (1-6); Sweden’s Team Isabella Wranaa (5-2) held off Team Delaney Strouse (1-6) of the United States 7-4; and Scotland’s Team Fay Henderson (3-4) shaded Japan’s Satsuki Fujisawa (4-2) 4-3.

Turkey’s Team Dilsat Yildiz (4-2), China’s Team Rui Wang (3-3), Denmark’s Team Madeleine Dupont (2-4), Italy’s Team Stefania Constantini (2-4) and Norway’s Team Torlid Bjoernstad (1-5) had byes on Tuesday night.

The 2026 BKT World Women’s Curling Championship continues with draws Wednesday at 9 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. (all times Mountain).

It’s another morning-night twinbill for the Canadians, who take on Turkey at 9 a.m. and Scotland at 7 p.m.

Live scoring, standings and statistics for the 2026 BKT World Women’s Curling Championship are available by CLICKING HERE.

TSN and RDS2 will provide coverage of all Team Canada games, and all playoff games, at the 2026 BKT World Women’s Curling Championship. CLICK HERE for the broadcast schedule.

For ticket information for the 2026 BKT World Women’s Curling Championship, go to www.curling.ca/2026worldwomen/tickets/.

This story will be available in French as soon as possible at www.curling.ca/fr/2026worldwomen/nouvelles/.