U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM TRIALS FOR MIXED DOUBLES TO ROCK CREEK, FINAL QUALIFIER EVENTS ALSO ANNOUNCED
Photo by: Bob Weder
[EDEN PRAIRIE, MN, May 1st, 2024] — Rock Creek Curling in Lafayette, Colorado will host the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Mixed Doubles Curling from Feb. 17-23, 2025. The location in the Denver metropolitan area will mark the first time the Trials for the Mixed Doubles discipline will be held outside of Minnesota.
“We are pleased to partner with Rock Creek Curling for the first curling Trials of the 2026 Games,” said Dean Gemmell, CEO of USA Curling. “With top-notch ice, facilities, and staff, Rock Creek will provide an ideal environment for all athletes to compete at the highest level.”
These Trials will select the team that will be qualified to represent Team USA at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympic Games, the third Games to include the Mixed Doubles discipline.
The winning team at the Trials will also represent Team USA at the 2025 Mixed Doubles World Championship. If Team USA is not yet qualified for the Olympic Games after the 2025 world championship, the Trials winner will also compete at the Olympic qualification event in the fall of 2025.
There will be ten teams in the field at the 2025 Trials. The medalists at the 2024 Mixed Doubles Nationals—Teams Hamilton/Hamilton (Matt and Becca Hamilton), Thiesse/Dropkin (Cory Thiesse, Korey Dropkin), Geving/Shuster (Aileen Geving, John Shuster)—have already earned berths. Four additional berths will be awarded based on results at the Mixed Doubles Pre-Trials, scheduled for August 9-11, 2024 at the Chaska Curling Center in Chaska, MN.
Finishes at two qualifier events in the fall of 2024 will determine two more berths. The qualifier events in the fall of 2024 will be the Colorado Curling Cup at Rock Creek Curling and the Denver Curling Club, and the Last Chance Olympic Qualifier at Curl Mesabi. Details on those events are below:
Photo by: Matthew Staver for Calcon Constructors
Colorado Curling Cup. September 26-29, 2024, Rock Creek Curling and Denver Curling Club. Event is open to any U.S. team, regardless of ranking or Mixed Doubles Trials status, and international teams. The highest finisher among U.S. teams not already qualified will earn a berth in the 2025 Mixed Doubles Trials.
Last Chance Olympic Trials Qualifier. November 15-17, 2024, Curl Mesabi, Eveleth, MN. Event is open to all U.S. teams not already qualified for the Mixed Doubles Trials. There will be no international teams in the field. Format will be determined based on number of entries. The team that wins this event will earn a berth in the 2025 Mixed Doubles Trials.
Gemmell noted, “We’re thrilled that Curl Mesabi has agreed to host the new Last Chance Olympic Qualifier. With only American teams in the field and no ranking requirements, it’s an opportunity for all players from across the country to pursue their Olympic dreams.”
The final berth in the 2025 Mixed Doubles Team Trials will be awarded on January 15, 2025, to the highest-ranked U.S. team, not already qualified, in the World Curling Team Ranking for Mixed Doubles.
To compete at both the Colorado Curling Cup and the Last Chance Olympic Qualifier, team members will be required to have a USA Curling Competitor membership no later than seven days prior to the start of the event. To be eligible for the World Curling Team Ranking for Mixed Doubles berth, awarded on January 15, 2025, competitors must have a USA Curling Competitor membership on October 31, 2024.
More details about the Mixed Doubles selection process are available here.
About USA Curling
Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Eagan, Minnesota, USA Curling is the National Governing body for the Olympic sport of curling and the Paralympic sport of wheelchair curling in the United States. The mission of USA Curling is to grow, strengthen, and advocate for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of curling in the United States by prioritizing accessibility and programmatic development from grassroots to podium. USA Curling is sponsored by Columbia Sportswear, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Training HAUS, Toyota, ISS (Ice, Sports & Solar), Rock Solid Productions, Jet Ice, and Laurie Artiss. USA Curling is a proud member of the World Curling Federation and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. To learn more, visit usacurling.org.
