Teams from 41 countries will hit the ice starting tomorrow for the 2017 World Mixed Doubles and World Senior Curling Championships.
Canada has dominated the seniors championships, winning women’s gold 10 times and the men’s gold nine times over the 14-year history of the event.
It’s the second time Canada has hosted the combined event, and a first for the ATB Centre.
“We started preparations a year-and-a-half ago with making sure we had the facilities,” said Kirk Mearns, co-chair of the World Curling Championships. “The real preparation started a week ago where we had to take an actual hockey area and turn it into a world-class five-sheet curling rink.”
It’s the last chance for countries to clinch a spot in the inaugural Olympic mixed doubles curling competition in Pyeongchang next year.
Team Canada’s Joanne Courtney is a current world champion, having won the women’s crown with Rachel Homan’s team last year in Beijing. Her partner, Reid Carruthers, also won the world men’s title in 2011.
“Any event we play in, we have the intention of playing well and hopefully winning at the end of the week,” Courtney said. “We’re going to stay really focused on what we can control here and try to play as well as we can and have some fun out there.”
Economic Development Lethbridge staff believe the event will have a big impact on the city, bringing in just over $1.4 million.
“Obviously there’s a direct economic benefit — we’re always excited when we bring in new money to the city that helps local businesses,” said Trevor Lewington, the agency’s CEO. “It’s also important to showcase the facilities we have, but I think it also lends to developing sport in the city.”
Mearns agrees, noting he’s hoping to see more people pick up the sport.
The event begins Saturday, with opening ceremonies starting at 1 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door, and the schedule is available here.
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