DENVER CURLING CLUB TO HOST YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES MIXED FOURS PLAYDOWN
Photos: Bob Weder
[EAGAN, MN, May 11th, 2023] — The Denver Curling Club will welcome competitors to the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Mixed Fours playdown from September 7-10, 2023.
Curlers from around the country will gather in Golden, CO, and compete to become the Mixed Fours team that represents the United States at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon Province, South Korea, from January 15-February 1, 2024.
The Denver area was a popular location for national events during the 2022-23 season, as the Mixed Fours Nationals, U18 Nationals, and Men’s and Women’s Nationals were all held in the areas. Many athletes who have competed in Colorado recently will return to the state, this time hoping to earn the opportunity to wear the American flag on their backs in South Korea.
“The Denver Curling Club did a fantastic job hosting the Mixed Fours Nationals just a few weeks ago, and I know the YOG playdown in September will be no different,” remarked USA Curling CEO Dean Gemmell. “I’m excited to watch these talented young curlers compete for the chance to be a part of an event as exciting and meaningful as the Youth Olympic Games.”
The Youth Olympic Games are an international, multi-sport event for athletes born between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2009. Like the Winter Olympic Games, the Winter Youth Olympic Games are held every four years, most recently in Lausanne, Switzerland, in 2020.
American curlers have returned from the games with medals in two instances—Luc Violette, Cora Farrell, Ben Richardson, and Cait Flannery won Silver in the Mixed Fours team competition in Lillehammer in 2016, while Korey Dropkin won Bronze in the Mixed Doubles competition in Innsbruck in 2012.
Unlike Games past, a total of six American players will compete in South Korea—one Mixed Fours Team and one Mixed Doubles Team. This will increase the number of curlers representing Team USA, as each country sent only one four-player mixed team in previous editions of the Youth Olympics. The final dates and location for the USA Curling YOG Mixed Doubles playdown are still to be determined but will occur, at the earliest, five weeks after the Mixed Fours playdown.
The Mixed Fours playdown registration is now open—it will close on July 15 at midnight.
Registration can be completed here.
Additionally, if you are interested in playing in either YOG playdown event—Mixed Fours or Mixed Doubles—but are unable to complete a full team, please provide details about your situation here. As much as possible, USA Curling will connect curlers who are eligible to compete in these playdowns for the Youth Olympic Games.
