Team Saskatchewan finishes round robin at Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championship undefeated

A lineup change refreshed the historic Team Saskatchewan on its quest for a sixth national title at the Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championship and secured five straight wins to complete the round robin undefeated.

With a 7-3 win over Team Québec #2 (1-3; Québec City), Team Saskatchewan (5-0; Moose Jaw), skipped by Marie Wright, punched its ticket to the first round of the Page playoffs Thursday afternoon at 3 p.m.

“Oh, it’s a pretty good feeling,” Wright said of her team’s 5-0 record. “We knew today that we had to bring our A-game and get ready for playoffs. So, it’s really good to finish with 2 wins today.”

Wright calls the game and throws third rocks, and she is joined on the ice by fourth-rock thrower and vice-skip Gilbert Dash, second Moose Gibson, lead Pete Andrews, and coach Ben Gamble.

Many have grown used to seeing Dash hold the broom at the other end of the ice, but on the heels of a busy season, the team needed a new look.

“[We made the change] just to take a little bit of pressure off of Gil,” said Wright. “He skipped last year, but sometimes to skip and then go and throw the last two rocks, it’s a lot on your mind. We just wanted to see if that would help both of us a little bit.”

It certainly looked like it helped. The 2025 tournament saw a more penetrable Team Saskatchewan, which finished the round robin with a 3-2 record. Despite a historic three-peat on the line for the back-to-back defending champion, Team Saskatchewan was stopped in the quarterfinal by eventual silver-medallist, Team Québec #1’s Carl Marquis.

The last time Wright skipped the team was in 2018, and she led them straight to the national title. Team Saskatchewan has hoisted the championship trophy a remarkable five times (2012, 2016, 2018, 2023, 2024).

“It’s really, really been great,” said Wright of the 2026 team’s dynamic. “We’ve got Pete as a new addition to the team, and he just fits right in with the rest of us. Of course, Gil and I have been best friends forever. So, it’s really great dynamics on the team. I think that makes all the difference.”

The team from Moose Jaw maintained its lead through eight ends Wednesday afternoon, but it wasn’t without its hiccups. Its deuce on the board in the first end certainly made a difference, but Québec #2’s Luc Hamel kept the pressure on.

While five Saskatchewan stones sat in the house before Hamel threw his sixth end rocks, he got away with taking two points for himself after making efficient use of both throws.

Although Hamel’s double brought his team within reach, the seventh end brought another two points for Saskatchewan.

Meanwhile, one sheet over, Team Québec #1 (4-0; Magog) started its game off strong with a triple in the first end against Team Ontario (3-1; Schomberg). Both teams went into Wednesday’s afternoon draw undefeated and looking to secure the top position in Pool B.

Trouble started early for the Ontarians, who were down 5-0 heading into the third end. There was hope for a complete comeback in the sixth end with a triple from Ontario, but it wasn’t enough. The host team did not let up and won the game 8-6.

With this win, Team Québec #1 grabs the first-place spot in Pool B despite still having one game to play.

On Sheet E, defending champion, Team Northern Ontario (3-1; Thunder Bay), was unrelenting in its game against Team New Brunswick (0-3; Saint John) and won 12-0. The win puts the squad from Thunder Bay in a good position for the second-place spot in Pool A, but its final ranking will come down to the result of its Wednesday evening matchup against Team Newfoundland and Labrador (2-1; St. John’s).

The 2026 Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championship continues Wednesday with a draw at 7 p.m. (all times Eastern).

For the second year in a row, the championship is taking place alongside the Défi sportif AlterGo, an event that hosts nearly 6000 athletes with disabilities.

For live scores, team lineups, and schedule information, click here.

Tickets to the 2026 Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championship are free of charge. For directions to the venue, click here.

Live streaming is available on Wheelchair Curling Canada’s Facebook page.