VIERUMAKI – Switzerland overcame a partisan crowd and stubborn play from hosts Finland to win the inaugural 2008 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship.

Toni Mueller and Irene Schori defeated Finland's Jussi Uusipaavalniemi and Anne Malmi 5-4 after a tense battle in this Finnish "sport city" located 90 minutes north of Helsinki.

The Swiss, who crushed all comers in the matches leading up the final, moved ahead 3-0 in thefirst two ends. The Finns, however, refused to surrender the big end which had plagued so many of Switzerland's opponents through the week.

The sixth frame proved to be enormous for Finland, as Malmi, facing multiple opposition counters, made a double-raise double-runback on Finland's last stone to hold the Swiss to a single point.

In the end, the opening deuce proved the difference, and when the Finns couldn't muster more than a single steal in the final frame, Switzerland celebrated victory.

Schori leaped into Mueller's arms. "This is great, absolutely great," said Schori.

"I am proud to be one of the first to win this world championship."

"This is big for Switzerland," said Mueller. "This is a great discipline, lots of fun and great shotmaking."

"I don't think we played our best today," said Uusipaavalniemi.

"The game was similar to the last time we played them, but there were no misses for them. They just played better than us."

In the bronze medal match, Sweden's Goran Carlsson and Marie Persson leaped out to a 5-0 lead after three ends in defeating Norway's Tormod Andreassen and Linn Githmark 9-2. It ws a surprise medal for the Swedes, who were making their Worlds debut. 

Mixed Doubles features two teammates delivering five stones alternating with their opponents. The player throwing first also throws last, with the teammate delivering stones two, three, and four. Athletes must sweep their own stones and there are two additional stones placed into play at the start of each end.

The inaugural championship featured high-scoring games, wild shifts of momentum and emphatic support from athletes and fans.

"I prefer this to regular curling," Andreassen declared.

"I haven't had this much fun curling in years."

Mueller, a two-time Swiss junior champion, will be the alternate for Switzerland's men's team skipped by Claudio Pescia at the 2008 World Men's Curling Championship in Grand Forks, U.S.A. next month. Mueller also skipped Switzerland to a playoff finish at last December's Le Gruyère European Championships in Fuessen, Germany.

Some of the Mixed Doubles teams earned their way to Vierumaki through national championships. Others, like Switzerland's were appointed by the national association. In fact, Schori was a late replacement for first selection Mirjam Ott, the two-time Olympic silver medallist who will skip Switzerland at next weekend's Ford World Women's Curling Championship in Vernon, Canada.

"Irene is a much better choice, much better," said a smiling Mueller.

"Wait, don't tell Mirjam I said this."

The Finnish Curling Association posted results of the World Mixed Doubles results can be found at:

 curling.fi/en/competitions/leagues/2688 with results mirrored on the World Curling Federation website at: results.worldcurling.org

The host website is: wmdcc2008.com

 FINAL STANDINGS

1. Switzerland – GOLD

2. Finland – SILVER

3. Sweden – Bronze

4. Norway

5. Canada

6. Czech Republic

7. Latvia

8. New Zealand

9. Hungary

10. China

11. Italy

12. France

13. Japan

14. Scotland

15. USA

16. Estonia

17. Australia

18. Poland

19. Slovakia

20. Russia

21. Denmark

22. Spain

23. England

24. Wales 

Rankings after sixth place are based on A) Group Position and B) Draw Shot Challenge scoring