Vegas vibe the perfect antidote to Beijing Olympics
The last time Las Vegas hosted the World Men’s Curling Championship, John Shuster’s lads had just won Olympic gold in PyeongChang.
Shuster and Co. didn’t try to qualify for the 2018 worlds—Olympic focus, ya know—and Rich Ruohonen’s foursome went 6-7 overall, making the playoffs but falling to Canada in the first qualification game.
Today, the World Curling Federation made it official: planet earth’s top male rock chuckers are going back to 8,000-seater Orleans Arena, close to the famous Las Vegas strip, for the 2022 world shootout.
The players and fans love curling in Vegas—poolside parties and Elvis impersonators, the whole nine yards (er, ends). A WCF promo piece even includes the latter.
WCF promoThe first-ever Grand Slam of Curling event ever held outside of Canada was scheduled for this venue in 2020, but COVID-19 forced its cancellation.
Prior to 2018, the Orleans Arena hosted multiple Continental Cup (think Ryder Cup) curling competitions.
This announcement is sure to excite The Curling News’ roving reporter Sam Corea. Sam loves Vegas. He went to the first Continental Cup back in 2014, and then ... well, virtually all of the ones that followed.
Tickets for the championship, which will run April 2-10 and feature 13 teams, go on sale in early September. “Hit & Stay” Orleans Hotel & Casino accommodation packages will be available.
The athlete march, across the casino floor, is something to seeThis will be the ninth time the world men’s has been held in the United States since 1970 and fifth time since 2002. However, this will mark only the second time it’s been hosted on the west coast.
“We’re delighted to welcome the World Men’s Curling Championship back to Las Vegas,” said Steve Hill, LVCVA president and CEO. “It’s an honour to host an event of this calibre. We’re confident the athletes and their fans will find the only-in-Vegas experiences they’ve come to expect, from incredible entertainment to outstanding dining, attractions, spas, outdoor adventure, and more.”
Sweden are the reigning world men’s curling champions. Skip Niklas Edin secured the first world title in his squad’s current three-championship winning streak at Vegas in 2018.