The World Men’s Curling Championship is set to take place from March 30 to April 7 at the KSS Sports Complex in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. The competition will feature teams from various countries, each with their own unique strengths and history in the sport of curling.
Canada will be represented by skip Brad Gushue, who won the Olympic gold medal in 2006 and the world championship in 2017. Despite losing back-to-back finals in 2022 and 2023, Gushue remains a strong contender in the tournament. The Czech Republic will be led by skip Lukas Klima, a lawyer playing in his fourth world championship. His team achieved a bronze medal at the 2011 Winter Universiade.
Germany’s team, skipped by Marc Muskatewitz, is making their debut in the world championship. Muskatewitz has appeared in five previous championships, bringing experience to the team. Italy’s Joel Retornaz leads the top-ranked rink in the world, coming off a bronze medal win in the 2022 worlds. Japan’s Shinya Abe, part of the 2019 team that lost in the bronze medal match, will be looking to make a mark in this competition.
Wouter Gosgens, at only 25 years old, will lead the Netherlands team in their sixth world championship appearance. New Zealand, represented by skip Anton Hood, aims to improve on their last-place finish in the 2023 championship. Norway’s Magnus Ramsfjell, with a curling legacy in his family, will be competing in his fourth world championship after finishing fifth in the 2023 event.
Scotland’s Bruce Mouat, ranked No. 2 in the world, is the defending world champion and a two-time European champion. South Korea’s Park Jong-duk, a five-time national champion, has faced formidable opponents in the Pan Continentals, including defeating Canada’s Brad Gushue in the preliminary round. Sweden’s Niklas Edin, a dominant force in the sport with six world championships and an Olympic gold medal, brings a wealth of experience to his team.
Switzerland will be represented by Yannick Schwaller, ranked fifth in the world, who finished third at last year’s world championships. The United States, led by John Shuster, the 2018 Olympic gold medalist, will also be a team to watch in the competition. With a diverse field of talented teams from around the world, the World Men’s Curling Championship promises to deliver thrilling matches and intense competition in Switzerland.
