MONCTON, N.B. - Canada's Kevin Martin improved to 2-0 at the Ford world men's curling championship by crushing Thomas Dufour of France 7-2 in six ends Sunday.
Martin took control of the game in the fourth and fifth ends, registering a steal of two before Dufour was light in the fifth to give the Canadians a 7-1 lead.
"The guys are curling good," said Martin, the defending world champion. "We're throwing it good.
"The ice was quite a lot better and last night all we did was try and stay close for the first four ends and once we figured things out away we went. Today it was quite a lot keener and more predictable so we went a little
sooner."
Martin, who dominated opponents throughout this year's Canadian men's curling championship, said he's taking a safer route instead of going after his competition from the first end.
"You can't," he said. "The conditions are such that you can't do that in the first end.
"That's OK. We'll just wait a little bit and figure out each sheet."
Canada was scheduled to play China in Sunday's evening draw.
Norway's Thomas Ulsrud is the only other undefeated team. Ulsrud won his third straight game, stealing six in the first six ends in an 8-2 win over Czech Jiri Snitil.
"Yeah it's a good start for us but actually to be honest when I saw the draw for the worlds I pretty much hoped we would win the first three but you're never sure," said Ulsrud.
"On paper I think we are a better team than the three we have met so far but this is perfect to get off to a good start."
Yusuke Morozumi picked up Japan's first victory of the event, scoring three in the sixth and stealing four in the seventh in a 10-2 decision over Fengchun Wang of China.
Denmark also posted its first win as Ulrik Schmidt scored three in the seventh to win 7-5 and dropped Finland's Kalle Kiiskinen to 1-2.
Scotland's David Murdoch beat American John Shuster 12-6 in Sunday's morning draw.
The 2006 world champions and Americans traded four-point ends early on and were tied 6-6 when Murdoch (1-1) scored six in the ninth to settle things.
Shuster (1-1) shook hands right after.
Germany's Andy Kapp (1-1) posted a 10-9, extra-end win over Switzerland's Ralph Stoeckli (1-1) in the morning's other match.
Kapp held leads of 3-1 and 6-3 before stealing one in the 11th to seal the victory.
