Curling Canada’s U-15 RockFest continue to build during 2026 season

As the final shots are thrown at curling centres across Canada this spring, it’s worth celebrating the sport’s remarkable growth and success.

Every stone thrown by a Canadian this season carries its own significance — from draws for two in Tuesday night open leagues to game-winning shots for national titles in front of thousands of fans. Among those moments, every rock thrown at 2026 U-15 RockFest events served a greater purpose: helping young athletes develop skills and experience the camaraderie of competing against neighbouring provinces and territories in skills and triples formats.

The four events, hosted January through March, foster well-rounded skill sets and build confidence in a competitive yet fun environment.

Hosted at Mississauga, Ont. (East), Moose Jaw, Sask. (Prairies), Calgary (West) and Cornwall & Crapaud, P.E.I. (Atlantic), 357 athletes filled curling centres and arenas across Canada for the weekend events.

“The four U-15 RockFest regional events continue to be an integral part of strengthening Canada’s Youth Development system and building a united pathway through providing fun, age- and stage-appropriate experiences,” said Curling Canada’s Manager, Youth Development & Programming, Dustin Mikush.

In Mississauga and Calgary, the young curlers competed on the championship-calibre ice at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts and BKT World Women’s Curling Championship. They and their parents also received tickets to the events to get a taste of the action.

“Rhyse had the greatest time at the U-15 RockFest learning new skills, competing with other curlers, and making new friends. Also having the opportunity to curl on the ice at the Scotties and going to watch one of the games,” parent Dave Hannon said. “This was an experience of a lifetime for Rhyse and one he will never forget.”

Youth earned their spots by competing in qualifier events throughout the country — 18 of them, hosted by 11 of Curling Canada’s Member Associations — with top finishers receiving invitations to their regional event, opening up opportunities for participants to meet new friends across the country.

“It was wonderful to see new friendships develop alongside curling skills. Athletes had the chance to learn from coaches with national and international competition experience, encouraging them all to grow their confidence, challenge themselves, and dream big in the sport,” said Curling Alberta Youth Program Coordinator, Rebecca Rankin. “While the competition aspect of RockFest adds excitement and motivation, it’s the friendships, community, and lifelong love of curling that make this event so special.”

Over 60 coaches shared their knowledge across the four events, which also served as crucial training for 65 new Skills Curling scorers — ensuring qualifier events can continue to be hosted across Canada for years to come.

The roster of coaches on hand was impressive, including two-time Olympic gold medallist Ben Hebert and his coach at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, Paul Webster.

“RockFest West is an incredible development opportunity for young curlers. The combination of learning from top coaches, being around elite athletes, and playing on championship arena ice inspires these athletes and accelerates their development,” Webster said. “What impressed me most was their enthusiasm and willingness to learn. If we can create experiences like this at the U-15 level, we are building not just better curlers, but a stronger future for our sport.”

The events fall within the Foundational Stages of Curling Canada’s Long Term Curler Development — a strategy designed to build skills across all aspects of the game, from recreational to high performance. Whether young curlers pursue competition or prefer a casual game, they leave equipped with everything they need to thrive.

It’s a concept that youth love to be part of and parents notice the benefits.

“Our experience with U‑15 RockFest was excellent from start to finish. The event was well organized, ran on schedule, and created a positive, respectful environment for the players. The level of competition was strong, providing the athletes with a great opportunity to challenge themselves and grow their skills,” said parent Amy Gillespie. “As a parent, I really appreciated the focus on sportsmanship and teamwork, both on and off the field. The volunteers and staff were helpful, friendly, and clearly dedicated to making the event enjoyable for everyone involved. It was also great to see how engaged and supportive the coaches were throughout the weekend.  We hope for expansion to the U-18 level so my son can continue to enjoy these amazing events.”

Audrey had the time of her life, and although she struggled with her shots during scoring, she very much made up for it in triples. These events not only teach them to finesse their skills but also to handle pressure, which is a big part of curling,” said parent Karla Gagnon. “As a parent, it was a dream to be able to watch her compete, smile, form new friendships and meet professional curlers.”

The events also give youth a direct taste of competition through Skills Curling play. Congratulations to the regional winners from each event.

U-15 RockFest East 

Females

Gold: Ainsley Morris (ON)
Silver: Natalia Sharpe (ON)
Bronze: Thira Boocock (ON)

Males

Gold: Grayson Dann (ON)
Silver: Rhyse Hannon (ON)
Bronze: Cameron Schill (ON)

Photo: Images by Bruno

U-15 RockFest Prairies

Females

Gold: Callie Hadway (MB)
Silver: Sara Quinton (SK)
Bronze: Nadine Jolicoeur (MB)

Males

Gold: Ridge Kriger (SK)
Silver: Daxon Christopherson (SK)
Bronze: Andrew Ferguson (SK)

Photo: Mike Stobbs Photography

U-15 RockFest West

Females

Gold: Annabel Brough (AB)
Silver: Ashley Jost (AB)
Bronze: Seolah Kim (AB)

Males

Gold: Nate Vernon (BC)
Silver: Alex King (AB)
Bronze: Jacob Gilroy (AB)

Photo: Cidrielle Joy Concepcion

U-15 RockFest Atlantic

Female

Gold: Abigail Smelser (NB)
Silver: Marissa Gushue (NL)
Bronze: Ivy Hebb (NB)

Male

Gold: Landon Seaman (PE)
Silver: Seth Gillespie (NB)
Bronze: Elliott Woodhouse (NB)

Photo: Mike Schut Photography

Planning for the 2027 U-15 RockFest events is in full swing. Stay tuned for more information.