GRAND FORKS – The hopes a few other nations are riding on the outcome of Thursday night's round-robin finale of the 2008 World Men's Curling Championship.

Norway lost to China 8-7 in an extra-end and will face Australia in the final round-robin match. If Norway wins, they become the fourth team into the playoffs and there will be no tiebreakers. If Australia's Hugh Millikin wins, then he will qualify for tiebreakers along with Norway and France... and the United States, should Craig Brown's Madison, Wisconsin foursome defeat Canada tonight.

Canada's Kevin Martin has sewn up first place at 9-1. Canada will play Scotland's David Murdoch Friday in the Page 1 versus 2 playoff game, regardless of Scotland's result against Denmark tonight.

But all eyes will be on sheet D, when Norway's Thomas Ulsrud battles Millikin.

In other Thursday afternoon matchups, Brown's U.S. outfit fell 8-7 to Switzerland, Scotland's Murdoch beat Germany's Andy Kapp 5-3, and France's Thomas Dufour crushed Jiri Snitil of the Czech Republic 10-3. 

Numerous television groups are delivering live and tape-delayed action, plus highlight packages, to world curling fans. Eurosport, CBC/CBCSports.ca/Bold (Canada), NBCOlympics.com and WCSN (United States) and CurlTV are all on site in Grand Forks.

Live results, with linescores and shooting percentages, are available via: worldmenscurling2008.com with mirrored scores also posted at: results.worldcurling.org