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Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Ideson, Forrest headline Curling Canada's candidates for 2026 Paralympic team
OTTAWA – Curling Canada has announced its pool of candidates for its 2026 Paralympic Winter Games team. Canadians have finished in the medals in five straight Paralympic Games, with gold in 2006, 2010 and 2014, and bronze in 2018 and 2022. The 2026 Paralympic Games will be March 6-15 in Milan and Cortina, Italy. The country's governing body of curling named 14 athletes to its national wheelchair program for 2025-26 on Tuesday. Canada qualified for the Paralympic mixed team event again, but did not in mixed doubles, which makes its Paralympic debut in Italy. Jon Thurston of Dunsford, Ont., Gilbert Dash of Kipling, Sask., Doug Dean of Thunder Bay, Ont., and Ottawa's Collinda Joseph and Chrissy Molnar return to the national program after taking bronze at the 2025 world wheelchair championship in Stevenston, Scotland. Mark Ideson of London, Ont., who skipped Canada to back-to-back Paralympic bronze as well as world championship silver medals in 2020 and 2023, also returns alongside two-time Paralympic champ Ina Forrest of Spallumcheen, B.C. Ideson and Forrest lost to Japan in the quarterfinals of the world mixed doubles championship in March to fall short of qualifying Canada for the sport's Paralympic debut. Toronto's Jillian Hopkins, Dennis Thiessen of Sanford, Man., and Marie Wright of Moose Jaw, Sask., rounded out the senior athletes announced Tuesday. Canada's Paralympic team announcement is expected in late fall, Curling Canada said Tuesday in a statement. 'This group of national program athletes shows up every day, ready to put in the work and dig into the process of improving,' Canada's head coach Mick Lizmore said in the statement. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. 'The way they support and push each other forward is what makes this journey so special. Together, with the support of family, friends, and a dedicated support staff, they're building toward benchmarks and goals throughout the season with eyes on arriving at the Paralympics prepared and ready to execute.' Karl Allen of Keene, Ont., LeeAnn Cayer of Port Robinson, Ont., Terry Fowler of Cochrane, Alta., and Reid Mulligan were named to the NextGen team. Athletes will compete in Wetzikon, Switzerland, and Stirling, Scotland, in October before heading to Prague, Czech Republic, in November. The national mixed and mixed doubles events Jan. 11-17 will be in Leduc, Alta. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2025.


CBC
05-05-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Curlers Peterman, Gallant 1st athletes named to Canada's 2026 Olympic team
Curlers Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant are the first athletes named to Canada's team for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. The husband-and-wife team from Chestermere, Alta., will represent Canada in mixed doubles curling at the Games, Curling Canada and the Canadian Olympic Team announced Monday. Peterman and Gallant provisionally earned their nomination to the Olympic team by winning the Canadian mixed doubles trials in January. They secured Canada's spot in the Olympic tournament with a sixth-place finish last week at the world mixed doubles curling championship in Fredericton. Seven countries joined host Italy in the 10-team field based on qualification points from combined placements at the 2024 and 2025 mixed doubles championships. The final two spots will be filled following a December qualification event in Kelowna, B.C. Mixed doubles curling will take place Feb. 4-10 n Cortina d'Ampezzo. Canada has also secured spots in the women's and men's Olympic curling events based on its combined ranking at the 2024 and 2025 world championships for each gender.


Winnipeg Free Press
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Curlers Peterman, Gallant first athletes named to Canada's 2026 Olympic team
TORONTO – Curlers Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant are the first athletes named to Canada's team for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. The husband-and-wife team from Chestermere, Alta., will represent Canada in mixed doubles curling at the Games, Curling Canada and the Canadian Olympic Team announced Monday. Peterman and Gallant provisionally earned their nomination to the Olympic team by winning the Canadian mixed doubles trials in January. They secured Canada's spot in the Olympic tournament with a sixth-place finish last week at the world mixed doubles curling championship in Fredericton. Seven countries joined host Italy in the 10-team field based on qualification points from combined placements at the 2024 and 2025 mixed doubles championships. The final two spots will be filled following a December qualification event in Kelowna, B.C. Mixed doubles curling will take place Feb. 4-10 n Cortina d'Ampezzo. Canada has also secured spots in the women's and men's Olympic curling events based on its combined ranking at the 2024 and 2025 world championships for each gender. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. The four-person teams will be determined at the 2025 Canadian curling trials that will take place in Halifax from Nov. 22-30. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 5, 2025.


CBC
01-04-2025
- Business
- CBC
Moose Jaw embraces visitors, economic boost that come with world curling championship
Social Sharing Moose Jaw, Sask., is making it's mark on the global sports stage this week as the host of the BKT World Men's Curling Championship. The event is not only bringing excitement to the city, but also an influx of both domestic and international tourists. "It's a very beautiful place and they are [the] kindest people," said Yuri Nakamuri, a sponsor for the Japanese curling team. When they're not watching curling, tourists are out hitting the town. "I want to enjoy staying here," Nakamuri said. Local businesses and retailers are seeing an economic boost from the tourists, who are calling the city home over the nine-day event. "We've seen a lot of Canadians coming from all different places — Alberta, Manitoba, B.C. — and we also saw, we've had several visits just today of people that are not together from the United States," said Joanne Klassen, who co-owns a souvenir store downtown with her sister. Spring is usually a slower season for retailers in Moose Jaw, but some local spots are seeing an unusual uptick thanks to the championship. "We're definitely going to be having a really busy week," said Reid Martin, business operations assistant at the Tunnels of Moose Jaw. Some businesses and retailers are even adding staff to help handle the upcoming demand. "We're prepared with extra staff for sure," she said. "We have several extra people working, and we've ordered extra inventory to make sure that we're all set with that and make sure everything was perfectly house cleaned and all of that stuff like that." Bringing the community together Community members are optimistic about the long-term benefits the championship may have. "We want people to come back to Moose Jaw again," Klassen said. "We want them to see the hospitality of Moose Jaw." WATCH | Businesses booming as fans pack Moose Jaw for world men's curling championship: Businesses booming as fans pack Moose Jaw for world men's curling championship 21 minutes ago Duration 1:44 Thousands of people are arriving in Moose Jaw, Sask., for the BKT World Men's Curling Championship. The nine-day tournament is expected to pump $12 million to $15 million into the local economy. Moose Jaw Mayor James Murdock said hosting the event requires hundreds of volunteers, all of whom have been excited to be welcoming international tourists and making sure things run smoothly. "These are dedicated members of the community who feel that giving back is so important," Murdock said. He believes the spirit of community connection has strengthened the bond between locals and tourists. "Curling is the sport that does that. It unites everyone." Long-term economic impacts With 13 international teams attending the championships, Moose Jaw has the opportunity to showcase its hospitality and infrastructure to new audiences. Curling Canada expects the city to see $12 million to and $15 million pumped into the local economy by the event. "There are so many spin-offs because of this and it's an important injection into the community, that's for sure," Murdock said. Murdock hopes a successful event could attract others to Moose Jaw in the future. "It's putting us in the provincial spotlight, the national spotlight," Murdock said.


CBC
20-03-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Canada's Homan hands Switzerland 1st loss, improves to 7-2 at curling worlds
Switzerland's Silvana Tirinzoni is undefeated no longer after meeting Canada's Rachel Homan. Homan handed Tirinzoni her first loss of the round-robin with a 7-6 extra-end victory at the LGT women's world curling championship on Thursday in Uijeongbu-si, South Korea. The Ottawa-based team, which also includes Tracy Fleury, Emma Miskew and Sarah Wilkes, scored a point with the hammer in the 11th end to improve to 7-2 at Uijeongbu Arena. "It took us 11 ends to beat them, and I'm just really proud of my team for sticking together and trying to make the next one," Homan said in a press release. Canada is tied with Sweden's Anna Hasselborg and South Korea's Eunji Gim, while Tirinzoni leads the standings at 8-1. The top six teams in the 13-team field will advance to the weekend playoffs, while the bottom four compete in a qualifying round for a spot in the semifinals. The win virtually guaranteed Canada a spot in the women's curling competition at the 2026 Olympics, according to Curling Canada. "I feel pretty proud that we're able to represent Canada and get enough points to get to an Olympic spot," Homan said. "I'm just proud that we're able to clinch that spot for Canada." WATCH | Homan hands Switzerland 1st loss at women's curling worlds: Canada's Homan hands Switzerland's Tirinzoni 1st loss at women's curling worlds 8 hours ago Duration 1:30 Rachel Homan and her Ottawa-based rink defeats Switzerland's Silvana Tirinzoni 7-6 at the world women's curling championship. The Swiss team still sits in first place at 8-1, while Canada improves to 7-2 and moves into a three-way tie for second place with South Korea and Sweden. China's Rui Wang was in fifth place at 5-3, ahead of Scotland's Sophie Jackson and Denmark's Madeleine Dupont at 5-4. Canada was scheduled to play Japan's Sayaka Yoshimura (3-6) later Thursday. Homan beat Tirinzoni to win gold at the 2024 world playdowns in Sydney, N.S. The five-time Canadian champion took a 1-0 lead in the second on Thursday before three alternating two-score ends made it 4-3 Tirinzoni after five. Tied 4-4 in the eighth, Switzerland had an opportunity to score four with the hammer but settled for one point. Switzerland had a tap for a potential four-ender but wasn't able to fully remove Canada's rock. "The turning point was probably her miss for that four," Homan said. "Honestly, I don't know if it was there. She squeaked the guard as much as she could, and I thought we put ours in almost a perfect spot, like maybe a foot higher. "Other than that, it was exactly where we wanted it and made her make a tough one. I just don't know if it was there. So I think that was the turning point to save the end." Canada responded with two in the ninth before Switzerland forced the extra end with one point, failing to find the winning score with an opportunity to win the game. Canada shot 88 per cent as a team while Switzerland was at 84 per cent. Homan improved to 9-1 over Tirinzoni since the start of the 2023-24 season. Homan split her games on Tuesday, losing 11-7 to host South Korea before beating Norway 8-6 in the late draw.