Team Philippines breezed through the semifinal playoffs, easing out Hong Kong, 10-6, on Sunday (Manila time) in the ongoing 2025 Pan Continental Curling Championships.
The Kathleen Dubberstein-led Filipinas grabbed the momentum off three stones scored in the first end, plus three more in the third, en route to a 6-1 win during their Women’s Division B encounter at Eleveth, Minnesota.
“Game went well today. Onto the gold match,” said coach Miggy Gutierrez, after the Filipinas marched to their seventh straight victory.
The Filipinas will next meet Kazakhstan in the finals.
The Kazakhs made it to the finals following an 11-4 thwarting of Puerto Rico.
Gutierrez said the Filipinas were able to force their rivals into difficult situation, the reason why they took the early lead.
“We’ve played against this team in Asian winter games and last year as well to success,” added Gutierrez.
This assured the Filipinas a shot at next year’s World Championships.
Meanwhile, the Marc Pfister-led Philippine men’s team bowed to South Korea, 9-8, and missed a chance to the 2026 World Finals with their sixth-place finish in Group A.
The South Koreans, behind Kim Soo Hyuk, broke through an 8-all tie in the 11th end when they score a stone.
This put the South Koreans in the World Championships with Team USA, Canada, Japan and China.
“That final match stung. We were in the locker room in silence for a half hour after the last match,” said Gutierrez.
