"Perfect" is how Kelly Scott described both the playing conditions and her first day at the 2007 World Women's Curling Championship.

Scott's Canadian squad defeated Switzerland's Tirinzoni 7-4 and then demolished German veteran Andrea Schoepp 9-1 in eight ends to share first place with three others at 2-0.

"The ice is very readable, very fast and very predictable," the diminutive skip said. "We're just getting draw weight, and feeling confident."

Scott helmed the same Kelowna, B.C. foursome to a bronze medal at last year's worlds in Grande Prairie, Canada. The champion was Sweden's Anette Norberg, who skips the powerhouse squad that captured gold at last year's Olympic Winter Games in Turin.

Scott meets Norberg Sunday, and follows that up with a match against the USA's Debbie McCormick, the 2006 silver medallist.

"Tomorrow is the big day," said Scott. "We dialed it in pretty good today, and we'll try for that tomorrow."

The Swedes, who upended Scotland's Kelly Wood 7-5 and edged China by a 7-6 count, also won the 2005 global title and are vying to become the first team in history - male or female - to win three consecutive world championships.

In other first-day action, host Japan thrilled the crowds with two wins, a 7-5 comeback over Germany and a 6-3 defeat of the Czech Republic, while China's Bingyu Wang scored two in the 10th end to edge European champions Russia 5-4. McCormick's US champions walloped Denmark and Italy by identical 11-6 scores, and the Czechs, making their world championship debut, thrashed the Italians 11-1 in just six ends.
Scotland stole three points in the final two ends to shock the Swiss 8-7 in an extra end.

China, Bingju Wang (CHN), Diana Gaspari (ITA), Anette Norberg (SWE)

Silvana Tirinzoni (SUI)