Canada’s Teams Middaugh and Korte advance to semis at 2026 World Seniors

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND — The Canadian teams’ quest for a sweep remains alive at the 2026 ACE & Company World Senior Curling Championships. On Friday at Centre Sportif-Moulin’s Curling Club Trois-Chêne Genève, both Team Sherry Middaugh and Team Bruce Korte advanced by winning their quarterfinal games.

In women’s competition, Team Sherry Middaugh of Barrie, Ont., earned a spot in the semifinals with a commanding 8-1 victory over Lithuania’s Team Asta Vaicekonyte on Friday afternoon.

The Canadian lineup—skip Middaugh, third/vice-skip Karri-Lee Grant, second Melissa Foster, lead Jane Hooper Perroud, and coach Wayne Middaugh—set the tone early, scoring three in the first end. Middaugh confidently chose a wide, fresh path to build momentum, establishing control that lasted throughout the game.

“We stuck to our processes. We didn’t worry about what they did, we were just sticking with all of the processes and all of the things that have brought us here,” said lead Hooper Perroud. “We don’t know what to expect from some of the opposition. Sometimes the strategy is a little bit different. Coach has always said be ready for the unexpected, like the games may not go the way you think, but they’re going to get rocks in good position, just maybe differently than we would.”

After Lithuania blanked the second end and earned a single in the third, Canada took full control. They added two in the fourth, stole one in the fifth, and two more in the sixth, prompting Lithuania to concede.

For Hooper Perroud, this moment has been three decades in the making. In 1996, she captured the World Women’s Curling Championship as lead for Marilyn Bodogh. Now, wearing the Maple Leaf again is both a dream realized and a full-circle experience.

“It feels very natural, to be honest, even though there’s 30 years in between the two,” Hooper Perroud said. “The funny thing is, the last world I was pregnant with my son, and so to have him here makes me tear a little bit.”

With a path to gold still ahead, Hooper Perroud is proud to share the experience with her son, husband, and 86-year-old mother, all of whom made the trip to Geneva.

Next, Canada faces Germany’s Team Sabine Belkofer-Kroehnert in a semifinal on Saturday at 3 a.m. (all times Eastern). The winner advances to the gold-medal game, while the other will compete for bronze. Both medal matches are set for 8 a.m. later that day.

The Canadian men’s team from Saskatoon followed suit on Friday evening, defeating Australia’s Team Hugh Millikin 10-3 in their quarterfinal.

Skip Bruce Korte credits the positive momentum to his team—third/vice-skip Darrell McKee, second Kory Kohuch, lead Rory Golanowski, and alternate Arlen Hall.

“We brought our A game today. I was so proud of the guys. It got really fast out there; we adjusted, had great weight control, and I think it was our best game of the tournament,” Korte said.

Canada entered the quarterfinals fresh after a first-round bye, while Australia had to play earlier in the day to defeat England in a qualification game.

The Saskatoon-based Canadians opened with a draw for three in the first end and maintained control throughout the match.

Canada kept the pressure on in the second end, forcing Australia into a tough high-weight in-off. Australia missed, giving up another three points on a steal. After trading singles, Canada scored another three-ender in the fifth. Australia managed a deuce in the sixth, but then conceded.

Canada now prepares to meet Scotland’s undefeated Team Tom Brewster in the semifinals at 3 a.m. The men’s medal matches will take place at the same time as the women’s, at 8 a.m.

“It feels fantastic, and I’m so proud of our guys,” Korte said. “It’s hard to get out of Canada, it’s hard to get here, we’re just going to give it everything we’ve got, and we’re building, and I’m proud, and I’m excited. Our wives have put up with a lot of curling years with us, with the little kids at home, and we’re gone. And this is their reward: we get to be here with them, and I’m so excited for them, too.”

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.