China posts split in opening matches of men's world curling championship

VICTORIA, Canada, March 30 (Xinhua) -- China proved it will be no pushover at the World Men's Curling Championship Saturday as skip Liu Rui's rink battled hosts Canada to the final end before losing 7-6 to the defending champions.

In the evening game, China, the 27th ranked nation in the World Curling Tour order of merit, rebounded to beat the Czech Republic 12-6.

Playing against Canada in the tournament's opening game in the British Columbia capital, China opened the scoring with a single point in the first end, before the hosts built up a 7-2 lead through seven ends. China then picked up two in eighth end and singles in the ninth and final end to make it close.

Canadian skip Brad Jacobs who was making his debut in the tournament, said his rink was able to take advantage of some misses by China and capitalized. The Ontario native added the three points Canada scored in the seventh end proved the difference.

"That just opened the game up so that we could run them out of rocks, which we're good at," said Jacobs, who is attempting to make it four consecutive wins for Canada at the championship. "We gave up a deuce (in the eighth to China) and then a steal, but still a simple shot to win the game. That three was huge to open the game up for us."

Lorne Hamblin, a Canadian who serves as China's co-coach, lamented his team's lost opportunities.