SENIOR NATIONALS KICK OFF IN WISCONSIN
Photo by: World Curling
[EDEN PRAIRIE, MN, January 13, 2025] — Twenty-six men’s teams and and fourteen women’s teams will take to the ice at host club Kettle Moraine in Hartland, WI, and the Wauwatosa Curling Club in Wauwatosa, WI, all aiming to represent the United States at the 2026 Ace & Company World Senior Curling Championships in April.
The championship, open to competitors aged 50 and older, features no shortage of veteran talent. Team Farbelow (Mike Farbelow, Rich Ruohenen, Bill Stopera, Darren Lehto), champions in 2024 and 2025, will be in the field and seeking a threepeat. On the women’s side, Team Smith (Margie Smith, Norma O’Leary, Shelly Kinney, Shelly Kosal) will look to return to the top of the podium.
The championship will feature countless decorated curlers, including more than 15 former national champions, along with Olympians Erika Brown and Ann Swisshelm. Ruohenen will compete at this event before heading to Milan-Cortina as the Alternate on Team Casper at the 2026 Games.
“The Senior Nationals illustrate why curling is such a great lifetime sport,” added USA Curling CEO Dean Gemmell. “It allows these players to enjoy serious competition, while also building connections with other curlers from across the country. We’re thrilled that Kettle Moraine agreed to host an event with such a large field, and grateful to Wauwatosa for hosting seven daytime draws.”
The competition will run from January 13-18. Webstreaming will be available on the Kettle Moraine YouTube channel, while live scores, schedules, and other event information can be found on the Senior National Championships page on the USA Curling website.
About USA Curling
Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Eden Prairie, 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, the Dale’s family of beers, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Training HAUS, Ice, Sports & Solar (ISS), Rock Solid Productions, Jet Ice, and Laurie Artiss. USA Curling is a proud member of World Curling and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. To learn more, visit usacurling.org.
