Kelowna Hosts High-Stakes Olympic Curling Qualifiers
The international curling community has descended upon Kelowna, British Columbia, this week as the city hosts the Olympic Qualification Event 2025 at the Kelowna Curling Club. Running from December 5-18, this tournament represents the final opportunity for nations to secure their spots at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.
The event features three competitions—men’s, women’s, and mixed doubles—with the final two places available at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games being decided in each discipline. The women’s and men’s competitions kicked off on Friday, December 5, and will conclude with playoff games on December 10-11, while the mixed doubles qualifier runs from December 13-18.
Eight teams are competing in both the men’s and women’s events, representing National Olympic Committees ranked 9-13 from the 2024 and 2025 World Championships, plus the top three from the Pre-Qualification Event. Notable competitors include the United States, Japan, Norway, and the Philippines, whose men’s team features Vancouver native Brayden Carpenter.
The mixed doubles competition includes 16 teams divided into two groups, all seeking those coveted final Olympic berths. With 20 mixed doubles duos in total competing, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Kelowna’s hosting of this prestigious event marks the city’s third major curling competition in as many years, following the Pan Continental Championships in 2023 and the Brier earlier in 2024. The Kelowna Curling Club, one of the world’s largest with 12 sheets and seating for over 1,000 spectators, provides a world-class venue for this Olympic-level competition.
General manager Jock Tyre emphasized the global exposure this brings to Kelowna, with broadcasts streaming worldwide and showcasing the city to major tourist markets including Japan, China, and Korea.
