Duo set for showdown

Canada's Jennifer Jones won a 9-6 game over a determined Russia , skipped by Liudmila Privivkova, to advance to 5-0.

China did likewise with a 7-4 win over the Czech Republic, which moved second Jana Simmerova into fourth rock position for the second game in a row.

Canada broke open a tight 5-5 scoreline with a three-count in the eighth end. China held a 4-3 lead over the Czechs after six ends and then scored two and stole one to confirm the win.

The Canadians battle Bingyu Wang and her team from Harbin, in northern China, in round nine action on Tuesday.

At the 2005 Worlds in Scotland, Wang and Jones both made their international curling debuts. Canada thrashed the Chinese in the round-robin 11-1, and went on to finish fourth with an 8-4 won/loss record. China finished a respectable 4-7 and just three years later, are looking like a medal threat.

"We've seen them around a lot but we've never played them since Paisley," said Jones.

"They've always been technically sound, and they made a lot of open shots back then. Now they've obviously improved their finesse and strategy, so it should be a good game."

Wang pointed to teamwork and some good fortune for their stellar start to the Worlds in Vernon.

"We're really surprised," said Wang. "Because we have the 12 best teams in the world here, and we are 5-0."

In other games, Switzerland's two-time Olympic silver medallist Mirjam Ott outscored Sweden's Stina Viktorsson 7-6 and Scotland's Gail Munro fell 6-4 to Germany's Andrea Schoepp.

The Scots are now in real danger of not reaching the weekend play-offs after losing four matches in a row.

Canada (Jones) 5 - 0

China (Wang) 5 - 0

Switzerland (Ott) 4 - 1

USA (McCormick) 4 - 1

Denmark (Jensen) 3 - 2

Germany (Schoepp) 2 - 3

Japan (Meguro) 2 - 3

Sweden (Viktorsson) 2 - 3

Italy (Gaspari) 1 - 4

Russia (Privivkova) 1 - 4

Scotland (Munro) 1 - 4

Czech Rep (Urbanova) 0 - 5