Some places are clear and some places are not.
In Östersund's regular season is not over yet. The last games will be played tomorrow and only then will it be clear who will play who in the extra time. But in Lohje, the Round Robin is already over and has brought some interesting stories. First of all, probably the important one for the Czech curling - the men lost to the Norwegians, but thanks to the win of the Austrians over the Dutch, they lost one place compared to last year, but the eighth place overall is enough to narrowly qualify for the Spring World Championships. And also to secure a place in the elite group of the European Championship for next year. Along with the Dutch, the English are in the B group. In the women's division, the Swiss, Swedes, Scots and Italians go into the play-offs, while the Hungarian and Estonian women leave the A-team. In eighth place, with one win and three and a half centimetres better DSC, are the Lithuanians, who will play the world and remain among Europe's elite. But it could easily have been the Hungarians who had a stone to win against the Swedes, and equally the Estonians who swept the final draw against the Swiss. But there have been surprising names among the participants in the most prestigious championships in the past - surprises are part of sport.
rnThe Czech women, with Karolina Spundova at No. 1, clearly outplayed the Finns (10 : 4) and look ahead to tomorrow's final duel with the Austrians, knowing that they will play the semi-final against an as yet unknown opponent on Saturday morning at 9 a.m. on lane D.
rnphoto: men's eighth at the European Championships