NZ Teams & Events

Ben and Jess Smith in the Championship Final. Photo © NZCA

13 Aug 2018 – NZ Under-21 representatives Jessica and Ben Smith overcame five-time winners Bridget and Sean Becker to win their first NZ Mixed Doubles title in Naseby last weekend. They did it the hard way, overcoming a 4 point deficit in the opening end to triumph 6-5 in a very tense final.

The Smiths scored singles in the next four ends to draw level, but the turning point came in the sixth end.

Bridget Becker's last-stone hit to score a single rolled to the very edge of the house. Both umpires took some time with the biter stick before confirming that the stone was out of play, and so the end was blanked. Under Mixed Doubles rules that also meant they lost the hammer.

Anton Hood at 2017 Pacific-Asia Championship. Photo © © WCF / Céline Stucki

7 Aug 2018 – The New Zealand Curling selectors have confirmed the teams to compete at November's Pacific-Asia Championships in the Republic of Korea, and January's World Junior B Championships in Finland.

The National Men's team is Scott Becker, Warren Dobson, Anton Hood and Simon Neilson.

The Pacific-Asia Championships 2018 will be held at the same venue that hosted this year's Olympic Curling tournament in Gangneung, Korea.

For the first time in 25 years, no National Women's team has been named.

Hamish Walker, Sean Becker and Warren Dobson. Photo © NZCA

10 Jul 2018 – Sean Becker won his 10th NZ Men's Championships last weekend as he and his team of Scott Becker, Warren Dobson and Hamish Walker defended their 2017 title with a 7-5 win against Team Peter de Boer in the final.

This milestone achievement was also Scott Becker's 8th win in his brother's team, and the 7th for Warren Dobson.

Bridget Becker is only just behind Sean in the title standings. She clocked up her 9th NZ Women's Championship when she skipped Natalie Thurlow, Abby Pyle and Eloise Pointon to an 8-4 victory over Team Jessica Smith in their final.

NZ Men v Wales. Photo © WCF / Tom Rowland

28 Apr 2018 – The NZ Senior Men's side of Hans Frauenlob, Lorne DePape, Dave Watt and Iain Craig has been knocked out of the World Seniors Championship in Sweden.

They were the only one of the three Kiwi sides in action to reach the playoff rounds, and were beaten 7-4 by Scotland in the first round of knockout games.

New Zealand's Mixed Doubles and Senior Women's sides at the combined tournament in Oestersund both finished at the bottom of their respective pools.

NZ Mixed Champions 2018. Photo © NZCZA / Holly Gosse

6 Jun 2018 – Dave Watt, Brittany Taylor, Lorne DePape and Glenys Taylor won the year's first national title, staying undefeated to claim the 2018 NZ Mixed Curling Championship in Auckland over Queen's Birthday Weekend.

They beat Team Garion Long 11-5 in Monday evening's final to claim the trophy in a convincing display.

Seven teams played in two pools through the qualifying stages.

MCI Doubles winners Brett Sargon and Eleanor Adviento. Photo © MCI / Rob Potter

26 Mar 2018 – Eleanor Adviento and Brett Sargon had the best possible lead-in to the 2018 World Mixed Doubles Championship when they won the season-opening MCI Doubles over the weekend. They beat current national titleholders Bridget and Sean Becker 10-9 in a tense final.

Adviento and Sargon had a setback in the opening round, losing 6-8 to 2017 NZ Championship runners-up Jess and Ben Smith. They won their remaining pool games, but only secured a playoff spot with a 7-5 win against Thivya Jeyaranjan and Nelson Ede in the last round.

They then headed Dunedin teenagers Grace and Jayden Bishop 7-4 in their semi-final.

Participants at August's Stepping Stones. Photo © NZCA / Jo Dowling

18 Feb 2018 – Enjoying the Curling from the Olympics? Want to be there in 2022?

Since my appointment as National Coach last year, I have been considering how best to work with our competitive athletes to support the goal of improving our international competitiveness.

I feel that the best way to make a real difference is to focus on those athletes truly committed to improving their skills over the long term. Those athletes that have the ability and potential to be successful international representatives over the next 5-10 years.

So I plan to form a High Performance Squad that will be the focus of my efforts over the next Olympic cycle.

6 Feb 2018 – New Zealand has no curling teams competing at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics or Paralympics.

Countries qualify for the three Olympic events via the World Men's, Women's and Mixed Doubles Championships and the Pacific-Asia Championships. NZ sides all came within one game of earning qualifying points in this Olympic cycle but ultimately missed out.

The New Zealand Men's team have competed at one Winter Olympics, in Turin in 2006.

Where can I watch?

• World Curling Federation's event website has full news, photos and results
• PrimeTV has some free-to-air coverage from PyeongChang
• Sky Sport has extensive coverage, with over 100 games broadcast live 9-25 February

Where can I play?

• Auckland Curling will have "come and try curling" sessions on Sundays 4, 11, 18 and 25 March
• Contact Dunedin Curling if you're keen to play in the south
• Naseby's MCI rink in Central Otago is open 7 days a week

Courtney Smith and Emma Sutherland in the bronze medal game vs Norway. Photo © WCF / Janne Ojanperä

11 Jan 2018 – The ultimate goal for New Zealand’s teams at the World Junior B Championships in Finland this week was to medal and so earn entry to the main event, the World Junior Championships 2018.

Although both sides narrowly missed out on achieving that goal, they are upbeat about their improvement and looking forward to going a step further next year.

The NZ Women – Jessica Smith, Holly Thompson, Emma Sutherland, Courtney Smith and Mhairi-Bronté Duncan, with coach Nelson Ede – came desperately close.