SUZHOU, China -- Canada is two for two in championship draws at the inaugural World Cup of Curling with one more to go.
Rachel Homan's Ottawa rink beat reigning Olympic champ Anna Hasselborg of Sweden 7-3 on Sunday to win the women's title. Meanwhile, Edmonton-based Laura Walker and Kirk Muyres downed Sarah Anderson and Korey Dropkin of the United States in the mixed doubles final by an identical score.
Kevin Koe's Calgary foursome will meet Steffen Walstad of Norway later Sunday for the men's crown.
Homan, alongside Joanne Courtney, Emma Miskew and Lisa Weagle, scored two in the second end and extended her lead to 3-0 in the third before Hasselborg got on the board with a single in the fourth.
Hasselborg cut it to a 4-3 Canada lead heading into the eighth and final frame, but Homan scored three to secure the victory on the first leg of this new four-leg Curling World Cup series.
Earlier, Walker and Muyres fell behind early but didn't let it get to them.
The U.S. was ahead 3-1 through three rounds, but Canada scored at least a single in each of the final four ends -- including three in the fifth -- to come from behind for a 7-3 victory.
The World Cup features four tournaments of team and mixed doubles competition involving the top curling countries in the world. Each country determines its representatives for each leg.
The second stop is Dec. 5-9 in Omaha, Neb., followed by the third in Jonkoping, Sweden, from Jan. 30 to Feb. 3.
The grand final May 8-12 in Beijing will include winning teams from the previous three stops.
The World Cup offers a total of US$775,000 for a prize pot. Winning one event is worth up to US$33,000 to a team and that number doubles in Beijing.
