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Kelowna Curling Club to host 2020 mixed doubles, senior curling championships

It will be the 4th time Kelowna has hosted a world championships
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Team Canada members swept the first rock of the 2018 Winn Rentals World Mixed Curling Championship. Photo: Rob Balsdon

The world curling championships are returning to Kelowna.

The Kelowna Curling Club will host the world mixed doubles and senior curling championships from April 18 t0 25 next year, and it will serve as an Olympic qualifier.

Kelowna has hosted three championships in the past with the world women’s championships in 1986, the world juniors in 2002, and the world mixed in 2018.

Kelowna Curling Club manager Jock Tyre said they’re happy to host again.

“The Kelowna Curling Club is very proud to have been given an opportunity to showcase our club and city to the curling world,” Tyre said in a news release. “Our world class volunteers did such an amazing job with the 2018 world mixed that it makes us feel very prepared to step it up a notch with the world seniors and mixed doubles.”

Tyre said he’s worked hard to get the championships back to Kelowna.

“People aren’t aware with how important we are. We get curlers from all over the world, and they go ‘look at the size of this place.’ There’s gonna be 480 extra people here for nine days. That what excites me. I love Kelowna, we’re a great place to come and we’re a great curling community.”

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Over 60 teams will compete at the 2020 championships, as fans and supporters will flood Kelowna, as the host nation Canada, is the reigning mixed doubles championships. Kaitlyn Lawes and John Morris won the first ever Olympic missed doubles curling gold medals in 2018.

“Tourism Kelowna is proud to support the winning bid for the world mixed doubles and seniors curling championships 2020,” said Lisanne Ballantyne, Tourism Kelowna’s president and CEO in a news release.

“We look forward to welcoming the athletes and curling fans to the Okanagan next April.”

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The 2018 championships generated $1.21 million in economic impact for the province.

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