Unfinished business for NZ Mixed Doubles champions

Mixed Doubles

13 Aug 2023 – Courtney Smith and Anton Hood successfully defended their New Zealand Mixed Doubles Curling title in Naseby this weekend. In a replay of last year's final match-up, they beat Jess Smith and Ben Smith in two tight matches, 7-5 and 7-6, to win the best-of-three series.

Six teams earned entry to this event from the fourteen who contested July's Qualifying tournament.

The finalists were the top two qualifiers for the three-team playoffs, both with a 4-1 win-loss round robin record. They were joined by Mhairi-Bronté Duncan and Brett Sargon who dropped their opening two games before striking form. They needed to pull out all the stops in their final pool game, handing Smith and Hood their only loss of the weekend as they scored the vital win they needed to progress.

Duncan and Sargon faced the Smith siblings in the semi-final series, and the deciding match was worthy of a final itself. Needing to steal the extra end, Mhairi's last stone was an upweight in-off to lie as shot stone behind cover. Jess Smith trumped that with a raised angle take-out to score two and take the win.

Courtney and Anton started the final series with a 1-0 advantage by virtue of winning their early meeting. They led 3-1 at the fourth end break, but Jess and Ben took three in the next to edge ahead. It didn't last for long though, and Courtney Smith sealed the title with a takeout in the eighth end.

"Every game was a test this weekend," she said after the tournament.

"You can never go into this tournament expecting to win it," added Anton Hood. "The top six teams here really have a chance of taking it if it's their weekend. We had a few rolls go our way, and Courtney made a couple of pistols to keep us in it. It was great curling by everyone!"

The winners also earned the right to represent New Zealand at December's World Mixed Qualifying tournament in Dumfries, Scotland. This event will determine the last four nations to qualify for the 2024 World Championship.

Courtney Smith had already committed to a season in Scotland. "So it's going to be a bit of a home away from home. We'll get a bit more training time in, but at the tournament, you've just got to adjust to the ice and play your game."

"We've got some unfinished business there," said Hood. "Last time we were one rock away from getting New Zealand back to the Worlds, so for us, it's just about going and completing the mission. We'll go and give it our all and try to make that happen."

Full Results:

Final Standings