The BKT World Men’s Curling Championship got underway this afternoon at a near sold-old Temple Gardens Centre with Team Canada coming away with a 7-3 win over Japan.
The turning put was in the sixth end as Canada took advantage of a couple of missed shots by Japan to pick up three points, while mostly keeping the Japanese to single points without the hammer.
Skip Brad Jacobs curled 97 per cent, while Team Canada as a whole, curling 93 per cent in a dominant performance to start the world championship.
"We were really excited, a little excited nervous coming into this game and I think as the building began to fill up during practice and just before we got started we all started to get goosebumps," said Jacobs.
For lead Ben Hebert, who is originally from Regina, this was the first time he was able to represent is country in his home province.
"They made a couple really good doubles early to force us to some blanks, we had some good pressure on them early. We knew they were going to play tough," said Hebert.
Canada started off with last rock. The game got off to a slow start as both teams feeling each other out and were feeling out the ice with the first three ends being blanked.
Japan began to play aggressive in the third end, but either team could take advantage as Canada held on to the hammer.
In the fourth, a roll out by Japanese third Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi opened the door for Canada. Skip Jacobs drew to the four-foot to score two.
Japan got on the board in the fifth end. Drawing against three, skip Riku Yanagisawa draw the button to make it 2-1 at the fifth end break.
Canada took control in the sixth. Already laying two, Jacobs made no mistake on an open draw for three to go ahead 5-1.
In the seventh, Jacobs made a difficult run back double forcing Japan to make a hit against four to pick up a single point.
Jacobs squeezed by three of his own rocks in the eighth for a light tap back to score two and extended Canada's lead to 7-2.
Japan took one in the ninth end, but it was handshakes as Canada took the win 7-3.
In other action
Switzerland opened up the championship holding off Norway 7-4. Meanwhile, it was Czech over South Korea 6-5.
On Sheet D, it was a barnburner between the United States and Italy. Tied 6-6 in the final end, the Italians missed their final shot and left the U.S. laying one for the 7-6 victory.