World Curling Federation extends competition ban on Russia, Belarus

The World Curling Federation has extended a ban on Russia and Belarus from its events through to the end of the 2022-23 season.

Shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine in February, and Belarus supported it, the WCF booted both countries from all events, including the world championships, and made the ban effective until the end of 2022.

Ottawa is the host city of the 2023 men's world curling championship April 1-9.

The world wheelchair team and mixed doubles championships are March 4-12 in Richmond, B.C.

Russia was a silver medallist at the 2021 women's world curling championship and a bronze medallist in 2018.

Under a WCF rule, the board can remove a team or member association from any WCF event "if in the sole opinion of the board, their presence at the event would damage the event or put the safety of the participants or the good order of the event at risk."

Canada qualifies for world junior championship

Meanwhile, Emily Deschenes skipped Canada to an undefeated record at the world junior B women's curling championship Monday and secured her team's spot in the 2023 world junior championship.

Deschenes, vice Lauren Ferguson, second Alison Umlah and lead Cate Fitzgerald edged Scotland 5-4 in Monday's final to go 8-0.

Deschenes had to finish in the top three for entry into the 2023 junior championship Feb. 25 to March 4 in Fuessen, Germany.

Canada scored four in the fourth end to defeat South Korea 6-4 earlier Monday.

Scotland and bronze medallist South Korea also secured their berths to join Norway, the U.S., Japan, Sweden, Switzerland, Latvia and host Germany in Fuessen.

Deschenes is from Ottawa and her teammates are from Halifax.

Carruthers curling team splits with Gunnlaugson

Reid Carruthers' curling team and vice-skip Jason Gunnlaugson have split up.

The Manitoba team called the separation "a mutual parting of the ways" and said a search was underway for a replacement in a Twitter post Monday.

Carruthers, Gunnalugson and front-end players Derek Samagalski and Connor Njegovan formed a team in April.

Carruthers of Winnipeg is ranked ninth in the world in men's curling by the World Curling Federation.

His team won $50,000 in the inaugural PointsBet Invitational in September.

But their record in the first three Grand Slams this season was 4-9, and they fell short of the playoffs in two events.