Kelowna to host Pan Continental championships
The second edition of the Pan Continental Curling Championships will be hosted by the Kelowna Curling Club from Oct. 29 to Nov. 4.
The City of Kelowna has great experience holding world curling events, having hosted three world championships – the World Women’s in 1986, the World Juniors in 2002 and the World Mixed in 2018, said the media release.
Member Associations of the World Curling Federation voted in September 2021 that two zones – the America’s and Pacific-Asia zone – will merge as one qualifying championship to ensure equal opportunities for all associations. The first edition of the Pan Continental Curling Championships took place in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and saw Japan women and Canada men winning the inaugural titles. To learn more about the Pan Continental Curling Championships, click here.
World Curling Federation head of competitions Eeva Roethlisberger said, “We are very happy to take the second edition of the Pan Continental Championships to Kelowna.
“The excellent 12-sheet facility of the Kelowna Curling Club has successfully hosted our events in the past and would have been a great venue for our mixed doubles and seniors had they not been cancelled due to the pandemic. We are very much looking forward to being back in Kelowna and experiencing the great hospitality of the local organizers.”
Kelowna Curling Club general manager
Jock Tyre said, “The Kelowna Curling Club has had the privilege of hosting many great world and Canadian championships, and we are over-the-top excited to show our city to the World.
“Kelowna most recently hosted the World Mixed Championship in 2018 and were scheduled to host the 2020 World Mixed Doubles and Seniors Championships when COVID-19 hit. So, our team of volunteers are fully prepped and ready to welcome the world to the second ever Pan Continental Championships.
“It’s always exciting to have the top countries in the world in Kelowna, but the true excitement will be the countries from Asia, Africa and South America that are new to curling. Welcoming them to the curling family.”
These championships will qualify five teams to the world women’s and men’s
championships in 2024.
Like the first edition, this year’s competition will feature an A- and B-division, providing teams a direct route to the World Championships – similar to the European curling championships format.
The women’s teams competing in this year’s A-Division will be: Australia, Canada, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, New Zealand, Chinese Taipei and United States.
The men’s teams competing in this year’s A-Division will be: Australia, Canada, Guyana, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Chinese Taipei and United States.
The B-Division championships will take place in the same venue and are open for any other member association from the Americas and Pacific-Asia zonal regions to enter.