US Mixed Doubles Curling Team Loses Unbeaten Status in Consecutive Defeats

2026-02-08 general

Cortina d’Ampezzo, Sunday, 8 February 2026.
The American duo dropped to 4-2 Saturday after facing Great Britain and a stunning upset by South Korea, leaving them tied for second while Great Britain clinched a semifinal berth.

A Shift in Momentum on the Ice

Saturday, 7 February, marked a stark reversal of fortune for the United States mixed doubles curling team at the 2026 Winter Games. Entering the day with an unblemished 4-0 record, the American duo of Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin suffered consecutive defeats that have complicated their path to the podium [1]. Their first loss came against the formidable Great Britain squad, led by Jennifer Dodds and Bruce Mouat, who secured a 6-4 victory to maintain their own perfect record [1][2]. The day concluded with a statistically improbable upset against South Korea, where the U.S. fell 6-5 in an extra end [1][7]. This pair of losses dropped the Americans’ record to 4-2, stripping them of their undefeated status and tightening the race for the playoff spots as the round-robin phase nears its conclusion [1][3].

Analyzing the Defeats

The opening match against Great Britain highlighted the difficulty of unseating established champions. Although Thiesse and Dropkin managed to erase a deficit by scoring three points in the fifth end to level the match, the British pair—three-time World Mixed Doubles champions—regained control with a critical single in the sixth end and a stolen point in the seventh [1][2]. Conversely, the evening loss to South Korea represented a significant volatility event in the tournament’s standings. South Korea’s Kim Seonyeong and Jeong Yeongseok entered the match with only one win in previous contests, making their victory a substantial statistical outlier [3][7]. Despite a rally by the U.S. to score three points in the eighth end and force overtime, a precision draw to the button by Kim in the extra end sealed the upset [7]. The loss was particularly damaging given South Korea’s prior struggle, having lost five of their previous matches [1].

Playoff Implications and Standings

The immediate consequence of Saturday’s results is a congested leaderboard below the top seed. Great Britain, now sitting at a flawless 7-0 record, has mathematically clinched a berth in the semifinals, becoming the first team to do so [3]. The United States has fallen into a tie for second place with the host nation, Italy, both holding 4-2 records [3]. Italy has recovered momentum, capitalizing on a victory over Norway to join the U.S. in the second-place slot [7]. Sweden remains a close threat in fourth place with a 4-3 record, while Canada and Switzerland sit on the periphery of qualification at 3-3 [3][5]. With only the top four teams advancing to the semifinals scheduled for Monday, 9 February, the margin for error has effectively evaporated for the American squad [3].

Critical Sunday Sessions

The timeline for recovery is short, with the round-robin stage concluding rapidly. Today, Sunday, 8 February, presents a decisive gauntlet for Thiesse and Dropkin. They are scheduled to face Estonia in the morning session at 8:35 a.m. ET, followed by a high-stakes matchup against Sweden at 1:05 p.m. ET [3]. These matches are pivotal; securing victories is essential to maintain their positioning within the top four and avoid elimination scenarios involving tie-breakers. While Great Britain has secured their future in the tournament, the U.S. must stabilize their performance metrics immediately to ensure they remain in medal contention when the playoffs commence on Monday [1][3].

Sources

Winter Olympics Mixed Curling