Koe aiming for his second world curling title

Koe's current line-up features second Carter Rycroft, third Pat Simmons and lead Nolan Thiessen and are favourites heading to Beijing's Capital Indoor Stadium.

Scotland, Sweden, Norway and hosts China will offer the main threat to Canada in the 12-nation event and Koe – whose only previous worlds appearance ended in victory four years ago – admits it will be a tough field.

"Canada used to be known obviously as a big favourite going in all the time but you quickly realise how the gap is changing," Koe said.

"Our experience in 2010 was awesome in Italy and it was a great feeling to win. But this is just as important for us.

"To get to be two-time world champs would be pretty neat and kind of validate our first win."

The Chinese team, skipped by Rui Liu, is coming off a fourth-place result at the Sochi Games while Scotland's Ewan MacDonald has three world titles to his name although this is his first appearance as skip.

Thomas Ulsrud, who won Olympic silver at the 2010 Games in Vancouver, will lead the Norwegian team but Sweden's Niklas Edin is not back to defend the title he won last year in Victoria, that honour falls on Oskar Eriksson.

"We know most of these teams and they're all pretty good," Koe added. "(There are) not too many easy games out there."

© Sportsbeat 2014