Great Britain's Mouat and Dodds Secure Playoff Berth with Perfect 7-0 Curling Record

Great Britain's Bruce Mouat and Jennifer Dodds made Olympic history on Saturday, February 7, becoming the first mixed doubles curling team to secure a playoff berth at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics after extending their perfect record to seven straight victories. The Edinburgh-based duo delivered clutch performances in back-to-back sessions, defeating Canada 7-5 in the morning before overcoming the United States 6-4 in a tense evening encounter that showcased their championship pedigree and ice-reading mastery.

The victory over Canada set the tone for Britain's dominant day at the Ice Arena in Cortina d'Ampezzo, where Mouat and Dodds had to rally from early pressure against the 2018 Olympic gold medalists. After trading points through the middle ends, the British pair seized control in the crucial sixth and seventh ends, capitalizing on precise shot-making and strategic guard placement to build an insurmountable lead. Their ability to execute under pressure—particularly Mouat's clutch draw shots and Dodds' aggressive takeouts—proved the difference in a match that could have swung either way.

The evening clash against Team USA provided even more drama as Mouat and Dodds faced their stiffest test yet from the unbeaten American duo of Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse. After conceding an early lead, Great Britain notched a critical single with the hammer in the sixth end to reclaim control before delivering a devastating steal on the United States' power play attempt. The strategic masterstroke effectively broke the Americans' spirit, as Mouat and Dodds dominated the final end by systematically working their opponents out of stones with textbook defensive play.

With their seventh consecutive victory, Great Britain not only clinched a playoff spot but also seized sole possession of first place in the round-robin standings with one session remaining before the medal rounds. Mouat, 30, and Dodds, 33, are seeking to improve on their silver medal performance at Beijing 2022, where they fell just short of gold in a heartbreaking final. Their near-flawless performance through the preliminary rounds suggests they've learned from that disappointment and are peaking at precisely the right moment.

The British duo's success stems from their exceptional chemistry and complementary skill sets developed over years of international competition together. Mouat, widely regarded as one of the world's premier skips, brings tactical brilliance and ice-reading expertise, while Dodds provides unwavering accuracy and aggressive shot-making. Their partnership has produced multiple World Championship medals and European titles, but Olympic gold remains the one prize that has eluded them—a gap they're determined to fill at Milano Cortina.

As the mixed doubles competition enters its final preliminary session before the playoffs, Great Britain sits in the driver's seat with a chance to complete a perfect round-robin campaign. Their dominance has sent a clear message to rivals that Mouat and Dodds are the team to beat, combining world-class technical ability with the mental fortitude required for Olympic success. With momentum firmly on their side and home-ice advantage from European fans, the British pair appears poised to finally capture the Olympic gold that narrowly escaped them four years ago.