Curling Canada announces qualification plan for World Junior Mixed Doubles Curling Championship

The inaugural World Junior Mixed Doubles Curling Championship, set to debut in May 2025, provides a new pathway for young Canadian athletes to represent the nation at international competitions. Curling Canada announces today the path to representing Canada at the inaugural competition is now determined.

Curling Canada’s Under-21 World Mixed Doubles Team Qualification Plan was determined in consultation with Member Associations and the Podium Pathway Council. This collaborative effort addresses the challenges and opportunities of creating a competitive yet accessible pathway for young athletes and minimizing issues related to accessibility, cost and scheduling.

“It is an exciting time to be a NextGen curler in our Podium Pathway in Canada with these new opportunities to train, compete and improve, including now in the growing discipline of mixed doubles. We wanted to provide opportunities for athletes without creating additional strain on the system and we think this is a great first step,” said Curling Canada CEO Nolan Thiessen. “We’re committed to building on this pathway and ensuring Canada will rise to the occasion at this new international event.”

The journey to the 2025 World Junior Mixed Doubles Curling Championship begins with the 2025 Canadian Under-21 World Mixed Doubles Qualifier. The qualifier is scheduled for March 16-25 in Summerside, P.E.I., and will run alongside the 2025 Canadian Mixed Doubles Curling Championship.

Eight teams will qualify for the event and compete in a round robin, followed by playoffs. The victorious team will represent Canada at the 2025 World Junior Mixed Doubles Curling Championship, scheduled for May 6-11, 2025 at the Saville Community Sports Centre in Edmonton.

To ensure the competition is accessible and reduce travel burdens, two regional qualifiers, West & East, will be held from Nov. 26-Dec. 1, 2024, with each event able to accommodate up to 48 teams. The top four teams from each regional qualifier will advance to the national event in Prince Edward Island.

Curling Canada is now seeking Expressions of Interest from curling centres to host the West & East qualifiers. Facilities must be able to accommodate eight or 10 sheets of ice, with 10 sheets being preferred. A hosting subsidy will be received from the team entry fees. All Expressions of Interest are due to  [email protected] by Aug. 2. Curling Canada will announce the two qualifier sites by Aug. 8, along with event registration information.

Registration for both qualifier events runs on a first-come-first-served basis from Aug. 22 at noon until Sept. 6 at noon (all times ET).

All athletes must be 20 years of age or less as of June 30, 2024. Team composition is flexible, and athletes can form teams across provincial and territorial boundaries to ensure they all have opportunities to assemble the best teams possible and not be restricted due to geographical boundaries.

This pathway to the World Junior Mixed Doubles Curling Championship is in effect for the 2024-25 & 2025-26 seasons. Curling Canada will continually assess the new event structures and review the process for 2027 and beyond.