Jones, Laing to play for bronze after semifinal loss to U.S. at mixed doubles worlds

Canada's Jennifer Jones and Brent Laing will play for the bronze medal after falling 6-2 to the United States in a semifinal match at the world mixed doubles curling championship on Friday.

The U.S. duo of Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin stole crucial single points in the first and sixth ends, and then a crushing deuce in the seventh, to end Canada's gold-medal hopes.

Thiesse and Dropkin shot a combined 92 per cent on Friday.

Trailing 4-2 in the seventh, Jones attempted a risky, last-gasp double-takeout to score a pair, but she wrecked on a guard to give the U.S. a steal of two.

"We played much better in the second half of the game, but all the credit to [Thiesse and Dropkin]," said Laing. "I don't think she missed a shot. I don't know what the stats say but she never really gave us an opening. The better team won, and unfortunately that wasn't us today."

Jones and Laing will play Norway's Martine Roenning and Mathias Braenden in Saturday's bronze-medal game Saturday.

The U.S. will play Japan's Chiaki Matsumura and Yasumasa Tanida for gold.

Japan topped Norway 5-4 in the other semifinal.

Canada earned a direct trip to the semifinal game after finishing 8-1 in the round robin and first in Pool A, while the United States, which finished second in Pool B at 7-2, had to beat Scotland 8-6 in an earlier qualifying match to advance to the semi.

Senior titles 1 win away

Meanwhile, Canada will play for gold in both the women's and men's finals at the world senior curling championships.

Sherry Anderson's Saskatoon rink beat Switzerland's Monika Gafner 7-3 in the women's semifinal Friday. Howard Rajala's foursome from Ottawa. topped Joel Larway of the United States 8-2 on the men's side to reach the gold-medal game.

Anderson, alongside vice-skip Patty Hersikorn, second Brenda Goertzen and lead Anita Silvernagle, is looking for a record third world senior women's title.

They'll take on Jackie Lockhart of Scotland in the final Saturday morning in South Korea.

"It feels good," Anderson said. "That was our goal, to get into that game [Saturday] and hopefully we'll come out and I'll play a little stronger.

"We're going to have our 'A' game, and I, especially, am going to have my 'A' game."

Despite having already won the title in 2018 and 2019, Anderson isn't taking the opportunity to play in the final for granted after missing the podium last year.

"You get a little bit older and you just wonder if you're going to get back here," she said. "We've been very, very fortunate to get here four times, and we don't take that lightly. So we want to play our best and come out and showcase what we can do."

Team Rajala, rounded out by vice-skip Rich Moffatt, second Chris Fulton, lead Paul Madden and alternate Phil Daniel, will play former world champion Graeme Connal's Scottish rink for gold.

"You can see the big smile on my face," Rajala said. "It's awesome. I mean, it's been a dream season, and I'm just so happy for the guys. It's amazing. We still have some work to do; Scotland is going to be tough. But it's going to be an awesome experience."

It's the 17th time Canada has reached both the women's and men's final since the world senior championships began in 2002. Canada has won both golds nine different times.