Alberta's Cathy King led Canada to a 21-1 win over Russia at the world curling senior championship on Sunday. (file photo)ADRIAN WYLD/The Canadian Press
Cathy King's rink from St. Albert, Alta., has an easy time of it Sunday at the world senior curling championship.
King improved to 2-0 in the senior women's standings with a lopsided 21-1 victory over Russia's Liudmila Murova (0-2).
The Canadian team, which consists of King, third Carolyn Morris, second Lesley McEwen, lead Doreen Gares, alternate Christine Jurgenson and coach Bill Tschirhart, opened with four in the first. Then the squad added steals of five in the next two ends.
At that point, Gare came out of the game, allowing Jurgenson, who skipped Canada to victory at the 2011 world event in St. Paul, Minn., to play the final three ends. The Canadians are tied for first in their pool with Austria's Veronika Huber.
"It was a little bizarre, just something we're not used to in Canada, right?" said King. "Unfortunately they don't have a lot of strategy and that's what happens.
"We're just trying to make our shots and unfortunately they had a tough time making theirs."
Canada's next game is Monday against Japan's Mikiko Tsuchiya (1-1).
"We were a little better this game, so that makes us happy," said King. "We got a better feel for the weight, which was definitely different than the first game, so that helps.
"I'm hoping that every game that we can start feeling a little better as it gets closer to the playoffs."
In the senior men's event, Rob Armitage of Red Deer, Alta., improved to 3-0 with a 7-3 triumph over England's Michael Sutherland (1-2). The Canadian team — featuring third Keith Glover, second Randy Ponich, lead Wilf Edgar, alternate Lyle Treiber and coached by Tschirhart — recorded three in the second and sixth ends on open draws by Armitage.
"So far, so good," said Glover. "We just hope to get onto the ice, keep making some shots and get rolling through the rest of the week."
On Monday, Canada faces Australia's Hugh Millikin, who won the 1986 Canadian mixed championship in Kamloops, B.C., representing Ontario.
Canada, Australia and Sweden's Karl Nordlund are all unbeaten in their round-robin pool with 3-0 records.
In mixed doubles play, Robert Desjardins and Isabelle Neron of Saguenay, Que., suffered a pair of losses to fall to a 1-3 record in their nine-team pool.
Canada first lost 12-5 to defending world champs Martin Rios and Nadine Lehmann of Switzerland before falling 7-6 to Spain's Sergio Vez and Irantzu Garcia in the late draw.
"Don't be worried — that's mixed doubles. That's the game," said Neron. "The Spanish guy made a lot of great shots and they deserved to win. They played better than us. We'll come out and play better tomorrow."
Only the top two finishers are guaranteed playoff positions at the mixed doubles event, which is being staged jointly with the world seniors.