After initial concerns, Canada’s wheelchair curling team satisfied with Paralympic Winter Games schedule

LONDON, Ont. – With the mixed doubles event added to the upcoming Paralympic Winter Games, there was some concern how that would affect scheduling for the traditional four-on-four team competition.

That was further exacerbated when it was announced that team event games would be in the mornings and evenings with the mixed doubles tournament in the afternoons.  All games are at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium.

‘’When we first heard about it there was some concern about playing in the evening and then first thing in the morning,’’ said third Ina Forrest of Spallumcheen, B.C., headed to her fifth Paralympic Winter Games this March in Italy. “We were worried about rest and recovery but looking at the schedule, they do give us breaks and it is a later start in the morning than usual.

‘’So, way better than I had anticipated.’’

Canada opens the preliminary round team tournament against host Italy on March 7, followed by matches against Great Britain and Norway on March 8, Latvia on March 9, China and Sweden March 10, Slovakia March 11, and South Korea and USA on March 12. The semifinals and bronze medal games are on March 13 and the gold medal game on March 14.

Joining Forrest on Team Canada is lead and skip Mark Ideson of London, Ont., Gil Dash of Kipling, Sask., and Collinda Joseph of Ottawa.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Canadian Paralympic Team (@cdnparalympics)

Forrest, a gold medallist at the 2010 and 2014 Paralympic Games and bronze medallist in 2018 and 2022, says time management during the Games is crucial to the team’s success.

‘’On two-game days it is making sure we get a lot of rest and recovery in the afternoon,” she said to CPC. “It’s a long week and we play a lot of games in that time.

‘’It’s a long tournament and there can be highs and lows. You just don’t know how a game is going to go and it’s not like we play these teams all the time. Even game to game you can have a real hot streak, or you can have that game where nothing seems to come together.

‘’It’s cliché but it’s one game at a time.’’

One of the schedule highlights for the Canadians is to open against host Italy. They are looking forward to a game which will have an electric atmosphere with the excitement a first game provides. While it’s enemy territory for Canada, it’s also a great celebration of the sport.

‘’It’s pretty cool to be playing Italy to open,’’ said Canada’s fourth shooter Jon Thurston of Dunsford, Ont. ‘’It’ll be exciting. I know Italy is working hard to continue to get better and field its best team.

‘’It’ll be a tough match right out of the gate. It’s actually very special. The Italian crowd will be cheering for them. It’s definitely a game I’m looking forward to.’’

China enters the tournament as the favourite as the defending Paralympic champions and gold medallist at three of the last four world championships including the 2025 edition.

The Canadians have reached the podium at every Paralympic Winter Games since the sport was added in 2006 and at the last three world championships with silver in 2023 and 2024 and bronze in 2025.

South Korea, Norway and Scotland have also reached the podium at the last three worlds since Beijing 2022. Sweden was the silver medallist at Beijing 2022.

‘’There will be 10 strong teams,’’ warned Thurston. ‘’We’ll get to see some teams like China and Sweden in mid round-robin so it gives us time to get into the groove and to be at our best when we confront those countries.

‘’China is solid, they throw up-weight accurately, so they know how to manage conditions as they change.”

Forrest says the experience gained as the tournament progresses is important.

‘’You learn from every game and hopefully you just get stronger and stronger through the tournament. You’ve learned a lot about the ice, about the rocks, and you’re managing your rest as best as you can.’’