Previewing Milano Cortina 2026: Canada aims for sixth straight medal in wheelchair curling

As sport continues worldwide growth, reaching podium tougher than ever

CORTINA, Italy – As curling fans noticed once again at the just completed Olympic Winter Games, the sport has expanded worldwide. It’s the same phenomenon in wheelchair curling where the days when Canada was an automatic podium presence are long gone.

However, Canada is still a wheelchair curling powerhouse and strong medal contender again for the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina, set for March 6-15.

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.

Canada took gold in 2006, the first Games with wheelchair curling, as well as 2010 and 2014. In 2018 and 2022, it was bronze.

China enters the upcoming Paralympic Games tournament as the favourite. It is the defending champion and gold medallist at three of the last four world championships including the 2025 edition.

‘’China is a solid team,’’ said Canadian third Jon Thurston of Dunsford, Ont., headed to his second Games. ‘’They throw weight well and accurately. They manage conditions as they change and they are coached really well.’’

South Korea, Norway and Great Britain (under the Scotland banner) have also reached the podium at the last three worlds since Beijing 2022. Sweden was the silver medallist at Beijing 2022.

Joining Thurston on the ice sheet are skip and last shooter Mark Ideson of London, Ont., lead Collinda Joseph of Stittsville, Ont., second Ina Forrest of Spallumcheen, B.C., and alternate Gil Dash of Kipling, Sask.

It’s a fifth Games for Forrest, also a co-captain for the Canadian Paralympic Team, a fourth for Ideson, a second for Joseph and a first for Dash.

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‘’We have a great team,’’ said Thurston. ‘’Our coaches and staff put in hard work to design our program, our scheduling and training. It’s the best staff in the world and the athletes are all driven to get better and learn from each other.’’

‘’It’s a special environment.’’

Canada opens the preliminary round 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 March 12. The semifinals and bronze medal games are on March 13 and the gold medal game on March 14.

The Canadian team knows it will face pressure early with the opener against host Italy. The teams met in the final back in November at the Grand Slam of Curling with the Canadian team prevailing for the victory.

‘’It’ll be special to open against Italy,’’ said Thurston. ‘’I’m sure the Italian crowd will be loud, cheering hard – oh yeah, I’m looking forward to that game. I know Italy is working hard to continue to get better and ice its best team. It’ll be tough right off the bat.’’

With a veteran squad, Ideson says Canada should gain an advantage during the ebbs and flows of a long tournament.

‘’It’s a grueling event,’’ he said. ‘’It’s a roller coaster; we just try and stay in the moment and not look too far ahead or look too far back.

‘’It’s a marathon not a sprint.’’