{"id":8003,"date":"2024-12-12T16:26:20","date_gmt":"2024-12-12T20:26:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.qccrfm.com\/news\/?p=8003"},"modified":"2024-12-12T16:26:20","modified_gmt":"2024-12-12T20:26:20","slug":"whos-who-in-curling-to-be-in-liverpool-for-canadian-mixed-doubles-trials","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.qccrfm.com\/news\/2024\/12\/12\/whos-who-in-curling-to-be-in-liverpool-for-canadian-mixed-doubles-trials\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Who’s who in curling’ to be in Liverpool for Canadian mixed doubles trials"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Greg Thorbourne is the chairman of the Liverpool Championship Host Society, which is organizing the 2025 Mixed Doubles Curling Trials in Liverpool. (Rick Conrad)<\/p><\/div>\n

Some of Canada\u2019s top curlers will be ringing in the new year in Liverpool as they compete to represent Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Local organizers are putting the final touches on the 2025 Canadian Mixed Doubles Curling Trials. It will be held at Queens Place Emera Centre from Dec. 30 to Jan. 4.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s the first of three major qualifying events in Nova Scotia for the 2026 Winter Olympics. Wolfville is hosting the full-team Canadian pre-trials in October 2025, and Halifax will host the Canadian curling trials in November 2025.<\/span><\/p>\n

Canada won the first-ever mixed doubles curling Olympic gold medal in the sport\u2019s debut at the 2018 games in South Korea.<\/span><\/p>\n

Greg Thorbourne is the chairman of the Liverpool Championship Host Society. He says the 16 teams all have their plane tickets and hotel rooms booked, and they start arriving just after Christmas.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s Olympic champions and there\u2019s world champions coming,” Thorbourne told QCCR.<\/span><\/p>\n

“The who\u2019s who in curling will be here. Jennifer Jones, (Brent) Laing, Lisa Weagle, (Rachel) Homan. It boggles my mind to see this caliber coming to small-town Nova Scotia.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to Olympic gold medallist Jones, some of the other big-name Canadian curlers coming to Liverpool are reigning world curling champion Rachel Homan, former Canadian champ Brendan Bottcher, and a host of other Canadian, world and Olympic medallists.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll the names that are on these big teams that play in the events, they\u2019re all gonna be here. It\u2019s super to see. Mixed doubles is probably the fastest curling game on ice.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Thorbourne said he expects the event to be a big boon to the local economy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is worth probably over $1 million to the economy of Liverpool and area. You have 16 teams staying plus their coaches, every staff member from Curling Canada will be here and high-performance coaches and everybody else that I’ve talked to through Curling Canada in the last couple of weeks is going to be here in Liverpool. So the place will be humping with outside people between Christmas and New Year’s, a big boost to the economy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Four sheets of curling ice will be installed at Queens Place, with professional ice makers arriving on Dec. 22 and working through till the 27th.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Practices begin on Dec. 28, with the opening ceremonies scheduled for Dec. 29 at 7 p.m.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thorbourne says the practices and opening ceremony are all free. And that will be the best time to meet the players.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWatch the teams practice, meet the teams, they\u2019ll be floating around the facility those two days. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd afterwards, the players will be hanging out, so if you want autographs or pictures with these players, most of them are very accommodating. They love to talk to people.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Mixed doubles curling is a quicker game than traditional curling, usually taking less than an hour. Each team throws five stones per end. The scoring is the same as in traditional curling, but there are a few other differences which add to its appeal.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c(Fans) can\u2019t see better curling anywhere, and it\u2019s going to be live and you’re gonna be able to meet the players. Queens Place has good seating and there’s not a bad seat in the place.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

About 14 government and private sponsors are helping cover the costs of the $255,000 event, including Mersey Seafoods, ACOA, Province of Nova Scotia, Region of Queens, Best Western Plus, Source Atlantic\/Len’s Plumbing & Heating, Belliveau\/Veinotte, Liverpool Lions Club, Tim Hortons Liverpool, Sobeys, Culligan, Dixie Lee, Arby’s, and Home Hardware.<\/span><\/p>\n

Organizers have also recruited more than 100 volunteers from the community.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thorbourne says the host society is also selling tickets on a heat pump with installation. People can contact the organizers through the Liverpool Championship Host Society Facebook page<\/a> to buy tickets.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tickets for the event are available at Queens Place Emera Centre or through Ticketpro<\/a>. The action will be livestreamed on the Curling Canada website.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here’s a full list of teams competing in Liverpool:<\/p>\n