Canadian four-man curling teams looking to qualify for the Winter Olympic 2026 now have a set path that will take them to Italy, Curling Canada has announced.
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Based on the results of the high performance review conducted following the Winter Olympic, as well as consultation with Sport Canada, Own The Podium and high performance athletes in curling, there will be a slightly different format and qualifying process for the Trials, as well as new guidelines for Wild Card teams to qualify at the Brier presented by AGI and the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
Changes and formats for the mixed doubles Olympic 2026 qualifiers are still being finalized and will be announced later this year.
“We are confident that these changes will give our elite athletes the best opportunity to succeed, said Katherine Henderson, CEO of Curling Canada. There have been many voices from athletes, funding partners and coaches who have played a valuable and important role in getting us to this point, and although there is still work to be done, we feel we are in the best position leading up to the Winter Olympics 2026.”
The Canadian Curling Four-Player Competition, scheduled for November 22-30, 2025 (location to be announced), will feature eight teams and will feature a best-of-three final for the first time in tournament history. After a round-robin draw, the top three teams will advance to the knockout stages, with second place playing third in the semi-finals and first place going straight to the final.
Road towards Winter Olympic – Scotties and Brier Champions (2024)
Here’s how the eight-team fields will be determined:
2024 Scotties and Brier Champions (must finish in the top six at World Championships; if a team does not finish in the top six, a spot will be awarded to the highest ranked team in the 2023–24 Canadian Team Ranking System (CTRS) as of End of 2024 Players Championship Teams not finishing in the top six at the World Championship will earn a spot in the preliminary trials.
The top team in the 2023-24 CTRS standings that has not yet qualified through the Brier/Scotties.
2025 Scotties and Brier Champions (must finish in the top six at World Championships; if a team is not ranked in the top six or if a team has already qualified through Places 1 or 2, a spot will be awarded to the highest ranked team from the Canadian Ranking System teams 2024–25 (CTRS) as of the end of the 2025 Players Championship Teams not finishing in the top six at the World Championship will receive a place in the preliminary trials.
Combined two-year (2023–24 and 2024–25 seasons) CTRS ranking (if the team awarded this spot has already qualified, the next highest ranked team on the two-year list will receive the spot).
The leading team in the 2024–25 CTRS standings that has not yet qualified under the previous six criteria.
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Pre-Trials winner
The preliminary trials will take place in October (dates to be announced) and will have the same format as the trials – eight teams, three-team playoffs, best-of-three finals – and will feature the top eight teams that did not qualify. qualification. from the 2024-2025 CTRS standings (number will be reduced if 2024 or 2025 Brier/Scotties winners are unable to qualify based on the above criteria).
There will also be changes for the Scotties and Brier, starting with next year’s Canadian Championships in Calgary and Regina, respectively.
First of all, while the competition format will remain largely the same as the last two years (18 teams, two groups of nine teams, six-team playoffs), tiebreaker games will eliminated, bringing the Canadian Championship competition into line from World Championships and Winter Olympic Games.
In the modified playoff format, the first-place team from Group A would face the second-place team from Group B, and vice versa, in the first round of the playoffs, with the winners going directly into the Page 1–2 playoff game and the losers meet the third place winners in the pools. But, the winners of these games will advance to Page’s 3-4 playoff game.
Additionally, in the next three Scotties and Briers, several more teams besides defending champion Team Canada will qualify well ahead of the competition as Wild Card teams.
Winter Olympic Games: The Best Olympic Athletes in Curling
Curling, often described as chess on ice, is a sport of precision, strategy, and teamwork. It involves sliding granite stones across ice towards a target area which is segmented into four concentric circles. But, the sport’s unique blend of skill, strategy, and finesse makes it one of the most captivating events in the Winter Olympics. Over the years, several athletes have emerged as icons of Olympic curling, setting records and capturing the hearts of fans around the world.
Kevin Martin (Canada)
Kevin Martin is a name synonymous with curling excellence. Known for his strategic brilliance and precision, Martin has been a dominant force in the sport. His career highlights include winning the gold medal at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic. Martin’s team known for its exceptional skill and teamwork, leading to a flawless Olympic campaign. Beyond his Olympic game’s success, Martin has also clinched multiple World Curling Championships, further solidifying his status as one of the greatest in the sport.
Jennifer Jones (Canada)
Jennifer Jones has established herself as one of the most formidable female curlers in history. Her impressive resume includes winning the gold medal at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic. However, Jones’ strategic acumen and exceptional shot-making ability have earned her numerous accolades, including multiple Canadian Women’s Curling Championships. Her leadership and ability to perform under pressure make her a standout athlete in the curling world.
Eve Muirhead (Great Britain)
Eve Muirhead is a prominent figure in British curling, known for her impressive skills and competitive spirit. Muirhead led her team to a bronze medal at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic and has been a key player in various international competitions. But, her ability to make crucial shots and her strategic prowess have made her one of the top curlers in the world. Muirhead’s continued success on the ice has made her a role model for aspiring curlers and a celebrated athlete in Great Britain.
Niklas Edin (Sweden)
Niklas Edin is one of the most successful male curlers of his generation. His career is highlighted by multiple World Curling Championships and a silver medal at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic. However, Edin’s ability to execute high-pressure shots and his strategic understanding of the game have earned him widespread respect in the curling community. His innovative approach to the sport has also helped in shaping modern curling strategies.
Rachel Homan (Canada)
Rachel Homan is a key figure in Canadian curling, known for her aggressive play and remarkable skill. She won the gold medal at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic as part of the Canadian women’s team. But, Homan’s impressive track record includes multiple Canadian Championships and World Curling Championship titles. Her contributions to the sport, along with her impressive performances, have made her a standout athlete in the curling world.
Curling may not always capture the same level of mainstream attention as some other Winter Olympic sports, but its strategic depth and the sheer skill of its athletes make it a compelling spectacle. The athletes mentioned above have not only excelled in their craft but have also contributed significantly to the growth and popularity of the sport. As curling continues to evolve, these champions remain a source of inspiration for future generations of curlers and a testament to the sport’s enduring appeal.
Winter Olympic – Canadian Athletes Pumped to Show the Fitter Side of Olympic Curling
Olympic Curling is a perennial highlight for those who don’t look particularly athletic. In fact, the world’s elite curlers are in excellent athletic condition. The Canadian men’s curling team is pumped, stocked, toned – whatever you want to call it, with biceps popping out of their shirt sleeves.
Ever since we were teenagers, we always went to the gym, all of us, says Brad Jacobs, the team’s skipper. And even if we were curling or not, we were still in the gym regularly.
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Curlers and Fitness: A Surprising Dedication
In addition to curling, these guys go to the gym four to six days a week, pumping iron and doing cardio. Each session lasts approximately 90 minutes. They are so passionate about it that they even posted a video of themselves lifting weights on their YouTube channel.
To an outside observer this may seem funny. These guys are curlers, not hockey players. But Jacobs says it gives them an advantage on the ice, especially at the Olympics, where they have already played nine games. The better prepared you are physically, the easier these weeks will be on your body and mentally, he says.
Brief description of curling: It is similar to bowling on ice. Players throw a large rock down towards an object at the opposite end of the playing field, called the “house”. The goal is to collect as many stones as possible as close to the center as possible. And one way to get the stone where you want it is to sweep the ice in front of it; sweeping melts the ice slightly, reducing friction on the curling stone and allowing it to move further. E.J. Harnden is a second for the Canadian team and he says spending time in the gym helps, especially with sweeping.
Winter Olympic – The Physical Demands of Olympic Curling Pressure and Friction
To hold a stone a little straighter or to pull it a little further, you need both pressure and friction, he says. So, we train to make sure we have the cardio and strength to carry the rock or keep it in the net as long as we can.
Curling in Canada is a bit like softball in America: for most people, it’s an excuse to drink beer and hang out with friends. Curling fans will tell you that the post-match drink is an essential part of curling; This is less true for elite athletes, says Harnden. Maybe it’s a protein shake instead of beer.
In his official biography, Harnden lists weightlifting as one of his hobbies. They drink beer, but not very much. You don’t see it as much as before, and now we like to think of ourselves as athletes rather than just curlers, he says. Curlers now take their fitness so seriously that there is a Men of Curling calendar – all shirtless, of course. Mr. December John Morris wrote a book called Currable.
If you don’t train and train specifically in a curling gym, you won’t reach the top level of the sport, says Morris, who won curling gold in competitive curling. Olympic Games 2010. He says it’s not just Canadians who are super fans – they just wear the tightest shirts.
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