Weekend wrap: Canada takes two medals at wheelchair curling world championships

RICHMOND, B.C. – Canada was a successful host at the wheelchair curling world championships with silver in the team event and bronze in mixed doubles in Sunday’s medal round which concluded the week-long event.

In the team competition championship game, China stole two points in the eighth end to successfully defend its title when the draw attempt to the full four-foot by fourth Jon Thurston (Dunsford, Ont.) was short.

The Canadian team was comprised of skip/lead Mark Ideson (London, Ont.), Thurston, third Ina Forrest (Spallumcheen, B.C.), second Gil Dash (Wolseley, Sask.), and alternate Marie Wright (Moose Jaw, Sask.). Canada, shooting for its first world title since 2013, last reached the podium in 2020 with silver and was fifth last year.

“We played pretty well,’’ said Ideson. “We stuck to our game plan, which was a little more offensive. We just didn’t capitalize on a couple of opportunities and they’re so good that you only get a few.’’

In mixed doubles, Collinda Joseph of Stittsville, Ont. and Dennis Thiessen of Winnipeg won the bronze medal with a 13-11 victory over China.

“We couldn’t be prouder,” said Joseph. “To have two teams medal at an event on home soil in two different disciplines, it just demonstrates how good a program ours is.”

Canada was 13^th last year at the inaugural wheelchair mixed doubles worlds.

Latvia defeated the U.S. 11-8 in the gold medal game.

Tyler Turner repeats as world champion in Para snowboard

Tyler Turner of Campbell River, B.C., who exploded on the international scene in 2022 with gold at the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games, successfully defended his world title in the men’s SB-LL1 snowboard cross on Saturday at the Para Snowboard World Championships.

‘’So stoked to defend this title and hold it for another two years,” Turner wrote on his Instagram page. ‘’Huge congrats to (Americans) Noah Elliot (second) and Mike Schultz (third) on a hard-fought battle in less than ideal conditions on a challenging track. This week has been a wild one and I’m happy to come out relatively unscathed.’’

The double leg amputee is Canada’s sole rider at the event which continues later this week with the dual banked slalom.

Canada wins bronze medal at wheelchair rugby Women’s Cup

Canada made an impressive debut at the Women’s Cup wheelchair rugby tournament earning the bronze medal. The first ever Canadian women’s team at an international event defeated local French squad Aquabion Team A 37-25.

It was a sweet win for the Canadians who had lost to Aquabion in the preliminary round 33-28 in its second match. Canada opened the tournament with a 42-21 loss to Great Britain but concluded the preliminaries with two wins.

‘’We’ve only played one time as a team in Calgary,’’ said Canadian player Julia Hanes. ‘’Since we’ve come here, we’re building after every game and that’s been evident. It was awesome to see our team come together.”

Record medal haul for Canada’s Para nordic skiers

On the last day of the World Cup Para nordic season last week, Canada added three more silver medals. That brought the season total to 41 World Cup medals, 16 world championships podiums, and two Crystal Globes for top spot on the World Cup standings.

Those Crystal Globes were earned by four-time Paralympian Mark Arendz of Hartsville, P.E.I for top spot in the overall men’s biathlon standings and Collin Cameron of Bracebridge, Ont., in the overall cross country men’s sit skiing rankings.

“It has been an incredible season,’’ said Arendz. ‘’Starting the season, not sure I would even travel to the first World Cup, then to achieve what I have.

‘’It was my best biathlon season in my career.”

Guimond and Turgeon win two medals each at Para alpine World Cup

Alexis Guimond of Gatineau, Que. and Frederique Turgeon of Candiac, Que. were both double medallists in downhill races this past weekend at a Para alpine skiing World Cup in Sella Nevea, Italy.

Turgeon took silver in the first race and bronze in the second in the women’s standing competition while Guimond won bronze in his two men’s standing downhills.

Kurt Oatway of Calgary and Brian Rowland of Merrickville, Ont., were bronze medallists in the first and second men’s sitting downhill respectively.