Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant, the married Canadian curling duo, are setting their sights on a long-awaited world title as they prepare to represent Canada at the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship in Fredericton, N.B. The pair narrowly missed gold in 2019, finishing second to Sweden’s Anna Hasselborg and Oskar Eriksson.
This time, they’ll compete on home ice at Willie O’Ree Place, fueled by their victory at the Canadian Trials in January where they edged Rachel Homan and Brendan Bottcher 8-7. No Canadian team has yet won a world mixed doubles championship, but Peterman and Gallant are determined to change that.
The stakes are even higher, as Olympic qualification for the 2026 Games in Italy depends on points earned at this year’s tournament. Canada currently ranks sixth with 16 points, with the top seven teams joining host Italy and two more qualifying through a final event in December.
Now living and training together in Calgary, and balancing parenting their young son Luke, the couple have a new level of chemistry and commitment. Both also play on separate four-person teams but dedicate weekly time to their mixed doubles strategy.
They’ll face fierce competition from top contenders including the Swedes, reigning Olympic champions from Italy, and strong teams from Switzerland and Scotland. However, home crowd support and familiarity with Maritime ice could be a deciding factor.
Canada opens the championship with matches against Germany and Denmark on opening day, while the gold-medal game is slated for May 3.
Source: Swifteradio.com
