CURLING: Dropkin rink begins World Juniors
SOCHI, Russia – The Korey Dropkin rink of Massachusetts, which includes Bemidji curlers Alex Fenson and Mark Fenner, will represent the United States at the World Junior Championships which begin Thursday at the Ice Cube Curling Center here.
The tournament, which continues through March 10, will be the official test event for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games.
Dropkin and vice skip Thomas Howell are making their second appearance after finishing fifth last year as members of Team USA. The two also competed together at the 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games.
The U.S. men will compete against Canada, China, Czech Republic, Italy, Norway, Russia, Scotland, Sweden, and Switzerland. The U.S. men first take the ice at 9 a.m. Thursday against the Czechs.
World Junior Championships
Men’s Division
Thursday’s Schedule
9 a.m.: USA vs. Czechoslovakia; Russia vs. Italy; Canada vs. Switzerland; Norway vs. Sweden
7:30 p.m.: USA vs. Sweden; Scotland vs. China; Canada vs. Russia; Czechoslovakia vs. Italy
Friday’s Schedule
2 p.m.: Sweden vs. Czechoslovakia; Scotland vs. Switzerland; Italy vs. Norway; China vs. Russia
Saturday’s Schedule
9 a.m.: USA v s. Switzerland; Canada vs. Scotland; China vs. Norway
7 p.m.: USA vs. Italy; Norway vs. Switzerland; Russia vs. Sweden; Canada v s. Czechoslovakia
Sunday’s Schedule
2 p.m.: USA vs. Russia; Sweden vs. Canada; China vs. Czechoslovakia; Italy vs. Scotland
Monday’s Schedule
9 a.m.: Czechoslovakia vs. Switzerland; Scotland vs. Norway; Sweden vs. China
7 p.m.: USA vs. Norway; Italy vs. Canada; Russia vs. Scotland; Switzerland vs. China
Tuesday’s Schedule
2 p.m.: Czechoslovakia vs. Norway; Canada vs. USA; Sweden vs. Italy; Russia vs. Switzerland
Wednesday, March 6
9 a.m.: Scotland vs. Sweden; Italy vs. China; Czechoslovakia vs. Russia
7 p.m.: USA vs. China; Switzerland vs. Sweden; Norway vs. Canada; Scotland vs. Czechoslovakia
Thursday, March 7
1 p.m.: USA vs. Scotland; Switzerland vs. Italy; Norway vs. Russia; China vs. Canada
9:30 p.m.: Tiebreakers
Friday, March 8
9 a.m.: Tiebreakers, if necessary
7 p.m.: Page playoff openers
Saturday, March 9
7 p.m.: Page semifinals
Sunday, March 10
9 a.m.: Page final; third place games