Canada’s Team Korte starts event with a win at the 2026 World Seniors

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND — After nearly a week of anticipation, Canada’s Team Bruce Korte has officially begun its quest for gold at the 2026 ACE & Company World Senior Curling Championships.

The Saskatoon-based team opened Sunday morning with a dominant 16-2 win over Nigeria’s Team T.J. Cole at Centre Sportif Sous-Moulin’s Curling Club Trois-Chêne Genève.

“It felt like the event had finally started, and it was good because we got to get some reps in,” Korte said. “We got to know some tendencies and figure out what the ice is doing. We had the opportunity to play shots kind of differently because we had a lead, so it was good to just get a variation of types of shots and weights.”

After arriving on Wednesday to acclimate to the new time zone, Team Korte — third/vice-skip Darrell McKee, second Kory Kohuch, lead Rory Golanowski, and alternate Arlen Hall — explored the region, held a pre-event practice, and participated in the 36-nation, 77-team opening ceremony at the world mixed doubles venue (20 mixed doubles, 34 senior men’s, and 23 senior women’s teams).

With no scheduled games on Friday or Saturday, anticipation continued to build. In fact, it has been building for a while. Team Korte had earned the right to represent Canada at the 2020 World Seniors, but the event was cancelled due to the pandemic, making this opportunity six years in the making.

Representing Saskatchewan, Team Korte returned to the world stage by winning the 2025 Canadian Seniors in Ottawa.

“It feels great. I’m trying to soak up every rock and every shot because it’s been 40-some years of curling to try and get here, and you don’t know if you’ll ever get back, so you just soak it all in,” Korte said.

While qualifying for the event is an achievement, Team Korte faces the expectation of playing for gold at week’s end. Canada’s men’s team has reached the gold medal game every year since the event’s inception in 2002, including six consecutive gold medals.

Canada’s quest began on a high note with the win against Nigeria. Korte made two draws in the first end to score five, while Nigeria’s miss in the second led to a four-steal. Nigeria scored a single in the third, but after Canada put up four more in the fourth, alternate Hall entered the game.

Canada added one in the fifth and two in the sixth. Nigeria managed a single in the seventh before conceding. In the latter half, Canada focused on precise hit-and-rolls and threading stones through narrow ports, using the opportunity to prepare for tougher games ahead.

“We’re going to have to make those later in the week. It’s about learning what the ice is giving you and trying to get a little better with each game,” Korte said.

The Canadian men return to the ice on Monday, seeking a second win against Slovenia’s Team Mitja Resman, which will play its first game later today.

The Canadian women’s team from Barrie, Ont. — Skip Sherry Middaugh, third/vice-skip Karri-Lee Grant, second Melissa Foster, lead Jane Hooper Perroud, and coach Wayne Middaugh — had Sunday off and will return to the ice Monday at 10 a.m. to face Finland’s Team Mari Wickstroem (1-0).

For the latest scores, draws, and team lists, visit the event’s official scoring website.

Live streaming of games is available on Centre Sportif Sous-Moulin’s Curling Club Trois-Chêne Genève’s YouTube Channel.