STEVENSTON – In a hard-fought quarterfinal game against Japan, Canada, represented by Ina Forrest (Spallumcheen, BC) and Mark Ideson (London, Ont.), came up short for the first time at the 2025 World Wheelchair Mixed Doubles Curling Championship on Saturday morning.
The 7-6 Japanese victory was Canada’s first loss in the tournament after finishing the round robin 6-0.
It also meant that Canada’s bid to qualify for the eight-team mixed doubles competition at the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Milano-Cortina, Italy, fell just short. Mixed doubles is making its debut as an event at those Games
Last week Canada did earn a spot for the Games in the mixed team event with the bronze medal at the worlds also held here. Canada has reached the podium in the team event at every Paralympic Winter Games since the sport was added in 2006.
“We had a great round robin,” said Ideson. “We put ourselves in a good position coming into the quarterfinal. Japan had a great game; we just had a couple of unfortunate outcomes.”
The game was close from the first end and made for an exciting morning of curling at the Auchenharvie Leisure Centre. The game went into the seventh end with a 5-5 score before Japan called its power play to take two.
In the eighth end, the pressure was on Ideson’s last shot against a threatening Japanese stone with the potential to score three and take the game. Ideson’s shot successfully moved Japan’s rock but his shooter rolled just too far and only earned one point for Canada.
“The sheet was a little bit different than expected and shots weren’t always going our way,” said head coach Dana Ferguson. “We just couldn’t capitalize today, but this result does not undermine Ina and Mark’s skill or successes. We’ve learned so much, and I’m happy with how Canada was represented this week.”
Japan won the gold medal defeating Scotland in the final 11-2. Estonia took the bronze defeating South Korea 9-5. Those four countries along with China, Italy, Latvia and the U.S. will battle for medals in mixed doubles at next year’s Games. Scotland will represent Great Britain.
The Canadian team was supported by team leader Kyle Turcotte, physiotherapist Sari Shatil, and team physician Dr. Gordon Ngo.