The events are expected to attract more than 30 senior teams along with a similar number of mixed doubles squads from around the world as they take place at the Dumfries Ice Bowl on April 22-29 next year and will be the first time Scotland has hosted the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship, which began in 2008 in Vierumäki, Finland.

The nation has, however, previously staged the World Seniors in 2005 at Greenacres.

"We are delighted to be heading to Dumfries for the World Mixed Doubles and Senior Curling Championships in 2014," said WCF President Kate Caithness, a Scot herself.

"The South-West of Scotland has a long tradition with curling and it is very fitting that these World Curling Federation championship events will be hosted in a region which has produced so many fine curlers."

Dumfries and Galloway Council secured financial backing for the event from the Nithsdale Area Committee and through the Homecoming Scotland 2014 events fund, which aims to showcase hundreds of events across the country.

"It is a fantastic achievement for Dumfries and Galloway to be selected to stage such a prestigious event," Dumfries and Galloway Councillor Finlay Carson said.

"The investment our Council has put into the Dumfries Ice Bowl now allows us to stage World Championship events.

"Great credit must go to all the Council staff involved in making this possible over the years.

"Financial support in attracting the event will be well invested and assist the Council in delivering one of its key priorities: to support and stimulate our local economy by maximising the tourism potential, economic benefit and legacy from major events."


Both the World Seniors and World Mixed Doubles are played over eight ends instead of 10, and while the world seniors competition follows the rules of traditional team curling, the mixed doubles format brings together one male and one female curler.

Teams have only six stones each - instead of eight -– and one of those stones, from each team, is prepositioned on the centre line before each end of play.

Player one delivers the first and last stones and player two plays the second, third and fourth stones.

If they choose to, the two players can swap positions from one end to the next and both team members are also allowed to sweep.

The 2013 World Mixed Doubles and World Senior Championships are due to begin in Fredericton on Saturday (April 13), and previous events have been held in, as well as Vierumäki, Cortina d'Ampezzo in 2009, Chelyabinsk in 2010, St Paul in 2011 and Erzurum in 2012.

The Dumfries local Organising Committee is now looking for volunteers to help assist with the staging of the event and is holding an information day on May 4 at 11.00am.

More information is available by emailing [email protected].

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
April 2013: Edinburgh to host 2013 European Mixed Curling Championship