---

Meeting and match.

I didn't see our loss to Scotland this afternoon. I was at a World Curling meeting where, among other things, they were discussing how to evaluate the success of championships. One of the important aspects mentioned was the number of spectators who would buy a ticket. In this respect, Schaffhausen is a successful venue - certainly by European standards. We also discussed some of the curling rules, and in that context some interesting ideas about wheelchairs came up. For example, it turned out that even in wheelchair competitions the hog line rule is often discussed and needs to be addressed, but also the different length of the delivery stick when used as a pointing tool arouses some passions. The next round of matches is scheduled at the IWC Arena from 2pm, but the Czech team will not be taking part. At the moment, America and Japan are facing each other on the sidelines, alongside Norway and Korea, Italy and the Netherlands, and Germany and New Zealand are playing at the wall. The rested Czechs are currently tied with Norway for eighth and ninth place in the results table and have four more opponents to go. The Germans win 9-2 after six ends, the Italian leads by three after eight ends with the advantage going into the ninth end and the Dutchman shakes hands. The Asian teams are hanging in there and playing evenly matched matches, with the Japanese in particular battling the Americans for every inch. John Shuster's inaccurate guard helps the Japanese to their third win, but the Koreans are unable to win the extra end without an advantage and, along with the New Zealanders, remain winless.

rn

The all-important Czech Republic versus Switzerland kicks off at 7pm. Canada (Gushue), Scotland (Mouat) and Sweden (Edin), each with their own opponent, make up the backdrop on the other lanes. The first end on our track was won by the Swiss with an advantage and the second end was won by the Swiss without an advantage, both ends by number one. The hall is almost full, as the Germans are playing and their fans are a few minutes away. In the morning game Radek Boháč started in place of Marek Černovský, but now the starting line-up is back on the ice: Lukáš Klíma (skip), the aforementioned Marek Černovský, Martin Jurík and Lukáš Klípa throws the first stones. The Swiss have Pablo Lachat-Couchepin, then Sven Michel, Yanick Schwaller (skip) and Benoit Schwarz-Van Berkel. A creative fourth end ends with a Swiss two and the Czechs start the fifth end with a pair of corner guards. However, the play is only at center. The "favourite" edge lane gets a bit slippery at times and can't be fully relied upon, the corner guards remain sad and unused and possibly only come into play for angle raise purposes. On the second attempt, Lukas manages to hit the stone and we are two down after the half with no advantage. The matches at the stations next to me are commentated by stars such as Carmen Schaffer, Daniel Herberg and Kevin Martin among others, with former world champion Esther Neuenschwander helping with the stats. After a technical break, a draw (13.76 sec. on the tee-line) brings the Swiss another deuce. The so-called single sweep is clearly the Swiss domain, the twenty-three-year-old Pablo throws everything and clearly manages it. A successful draw against a three in the seventh end keeps our team still in hope of winning, the Swiss one in the eighth brings the score difference back to the same level, minus four. We give up a one in the ninth, but it's obvious we're not going to win this one. The Czechs acknowledge the better performance of their opponent, congratulate them and Radek Bohac slowly prepares for the traditional evening training before tomorrow's matches (Norway and Holland).

rn

Swede wins, Canadian and Scot wins too. The photo is from the time-out in the eighth end.