New Zealand Curling

Yes, winter IS coming! And if you've ever thought "Curling ... wouldn't mind trying that one day", then that day is almost here.

Auckland Curling invites you to come along to Paradice Avondale on Sunday 2nd and/or 9th May, and give it a go.

Come and find out all about sliding, sweeping, and yelling at granite. We'll give you an introduction to curling, some coaching, and get you started in your first game.

We supply everything you need to play the game. You just need to wear warm gear that you can stretch out in, a pair of gloves, and clean, flat-soled shoes.

Team New Zealand at the 2019 Pacific Asia Championship. Photo © WCF / Tom Rowland

To all Competitive Curlers

The NZCA Exec encourages athletes to self-nominate in order to be considered for selection for several International events through the 2021-2022 curling season.

The Coronavirus, quarantine requirements, and the vaccine rollout timetable are still generating some uncertainty around the coming international season. However, running this process now will enable us to move quickly when restrictions lift and allow for NZ representative teams to travel overseas more easily.

Click here to self-nominate. The deadline for self-nomination is Friday 23rd April.

Specifically, the teams to be selected for 2021-22 are:

Team NZ at YOG 2020. Photo © WCF / Alina Pavlyuchik

9 Mar 2021 – In January 2020 New Zealand sent a curling team to the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Switzerland. Our side did exceptionally well, placing 4th in the World in the Mixed.

Are you interested in representing New Zealand at the next Youth Olympics? The NZ Curling Association is seeking expressions of interest from youth who would like to curl for New Zealand at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics in Ganwon, South Korea.

Competitors must be born in the years 2006 to 2009 (i.e. turning 15, 16, 17 or 18 in 2024).

If you would like to be kept up to date with information, training camps and forthcoming competitions please click here to register.

Tutorial for playcurling.com

23 Feb 2021 – Your chance to ease into the 2021 curling season without leaving the sofa: the first NZ Online Curling Championship!

Yes, it's still summer here (mostly...) but playcurling.com lets you practice your strategy and have a bit of fun. High-level e-sports skills are not required.

Sign up now and we'll create a draw where you'll play 1-on-1 against other curlers – and maybe potential new curlers – from around the country. We might even run some of the playoffs via a Zoom call.

Entries have closed. Once you've entered go to playcurling.com, scroll down to watch the 5-minute tutorial, and sign up for a bit of practice. Good e-curling!

9 January 1935 - 8 January 2021

Today we farewell our NZCA Life Member and curling stalwart, Stewart McKnight.

Stewart sadly passed away suddenly, aged 85 last Friday 8th January.

He was an all-round sports person who gave his best in every endeavour he undertook, including curling. He was part of our Idaburn Council and was a passionate Blackstone Hill curler.

Stewart contributed in many ways to our curling community, both indoor and outdoor.

Jess and Ben Smith. Photo © WGNZ / Iain McGregor

29 Nov 2020 – Maniototo siblings Jessica and Ben Smith earned the right to represent New Zealand at the 2021 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship when they won the three-team National Trial this weekend.

It has been a long wait for the pair. This is the third time they have won that right, but for personal reasons they did not go in 2019, and this year's World tournament was a casualty of the pandemic.

The 2020 cancellation increased the importance of the 2021 World Championship as an Olympic qualifier, triggering a one-off change from the NZ Curling Association. They introducing this National Trial rather than the automatic selection of the New Zealand Championship winners as the national team.

1 Oct 2020 – Eleven teams contested the NZ Secondary School Curling Championships during the first three days of the September break at MCI Naseby.

The Girls' competition was a double round-robin topped by Otago Girls High School and Maniototo Area Schools. Both times dropped just one of their preliminary games, winning one and losing one of their meetings against the other.

They both won their respective semi-finals to set up a decider again in the final, and it was the Otago Girls combination of Rachael Pitts, Ailie Muldrew, Ella Williams, Emma Campbell and Caitlin Elkins who won the title 8-4. Kavanagh College took the bronze medal.

Click to watch a full replay of the final on Sky Sport Next's YouTube channel

20 Sep 2020 – A live-streamed thriller of a final capped off an outstanding 2020 NZ Mixed Doubles Championship.

With the scores tied in the final end and their opponents' shot rock on the button and well guarded, Bridget Becker managed to curl the last stone of the game around the guard, tap it back, and stay in the four foot ring to earn the gold medal match 9-8 for herself and brother Sean.

It was a see-saw affair that saw their opponents Mhairi-Bronte Duncan and Brett Sargon start strongly, scoring four in the opening end. The Becker siblings then scored in the next six ends to lead 8-4 before another four-point haul to Duncan and Sargon in the penultimate end levelled the scores.

NZ Men at the 2020 World Junior Championships. Photo © WCF / Richard Gray

2 Sep 2020 – The COVID-19 global pandemic has forced the World Curling Federation to cancel several events over the next few months.

Those that affect New Zealand curlers are November's Pacific-Asia Championships in Japan, and the January 2021 World Junior-B Championships in Finland.

The World Junior Championships in Beijing (18-28 February 2021) are currently still scheduled, and the NZ Junior Men's place in this event has been restored after the abandonment of the Junior-B event.

Whether they will be able to take up this chance is not yet certain.