“How can you not love curling?” Gilbert Dash makes Paralympic debut as Canada beats Latvia

CORTINA, Italy – It was another big day for Canada on the curling sheet on Monday.

The team dominated Latvia 11-1 and beloved teammate Gil Dash made his Paralympic Winter Games debut at age 57.

‘’It felt amazing,’’ said Dash, who played the lead position. ‘’The atmosphere here at the rink in Cortina was fantastic. Lots of people and loud.

‘’How can you not love curling when you experience something like this.’’

Dash has been inching his way up the national team chart over the past several years, especially in the last Paralympic quarter.  He’s been a member of Canada’s last three world championship teams that won silver in 2023 and 2024 and bronze in 2025.

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‘’I always just looked forward to trying to make it to the Paralympics’’ said the resident of Kipling, Sask. ‘’Every time I didn’t make it on a team, I just knew I had to work that much harder.

‘’You must pour the gas on, burn it and go.’’

Dash is a popular teammate and well established in the wheelchair curling community, both at home and nationally. As a youngster he was a self-admitted rink rat alternating between hockey and curling. He was injured in a ski jumping accident in 2006 and started wheelchair curling in 2008.

‘’It was epic to have Gil on the ice today,’’ said Canada’s skip and four-time Paralympian Mark Ideson of London, Ont. ‘’It’s like I relived my first Paralympic Games through him. He was so good out there, calm and composed. Off the ice he is just a fun guy to be around with some great stories.’’

Canada’s head coach Mick Lizmore says Dash juggles many roles on and off the ice as the team’s alternate.

‘’He’s tracking tendencies of what we are seeing from ourselves and our opponents, as well as the ice conditions. We’re a deep team which includes great athletes and it’s great to see Gil get into a game today.’’

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Monday’s game was in little doubt from the start. Canada stole points in the first five ends to improve its record to 4-0. After the sixth, Latvia conceded the match.  It was the second straight game, Canada’s opponent conceded the match in the sixth after two tight games to open the 10-country tournament.

‘’We got off to a good start,’’ said Ideson. ‘’Latvia is a young team and will be really good in the future. We kept the pressure on them today and the team shot the lights out ahead of me, which was good.’’

Also, on the ice with Dash and Ideson, were second Ina Forrest of Spallumcheen, B.C., and third Jon Thurston of Dunsford, Ont.

China is the only other undefeated team at 3-0- while Sweden lost 7-1 to the U.S. for its first loss in four games.

Tuesday is a day Canada surely circled on the calendar. The Canadians face defending champion China which has won three of the last four world titles. Then it is another powerhouse in Sweden top five finishers at the last four worlds and defending Games silver medallists.

‘’We’re facing two teams that are rolling,’’ said Ideson. ‘’We’ve got unfinished business with China, but they are the top team in the world for a reason.  So, we have to get some good rest tonight and be ready to go.’’

Lizmore says in four games his troops have run the gamut of emotions which may be beneficial.

‘’The team is staying connected with clear communication and working hard to throw it consistently,’’ he said.’’ We’ve found our way through some late game drama so it’s nice to get that pressure early in the week and work through it.’’

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