South Lake Tahoe Hosts First Grand Slam of Curling Event in the U.S.
South Lake Tahoe is hosting the first-ever Grand Slam of Curling event in the United States, featuring 32 elite teams from seven nations, including Canada.
The sport has seen significant evolution over the past 25 years, becoming more athletic with younger champions emerging.
"The sport has changed a lot even since I started playing, you know, 25 years ago. It's come a long way, getting way more athletic. Champions are getting younger and younger," said one curling enthusiast.
Canada, a country known for its niche curling community, faces the challenge of expanding the sport globally.
"We've got a really niche demographic in Canada that loves the sport, so it's a challenge to grow it around the world. But you know, hence one of the reasons why we're here in Lake Tahoe," said Mark Kennedy, an Olympic Gold medalist from Canada.
Notably, Canada is among the few countries that has not yet qualified its team for the upcoming Olympics, making this event critical preparation for Olympic trials.
"Canada's probably one of the only countries that hasn't qualified their team yet. Uh, so, you know, this is really preparing us for our trials. The winner of that goes to the Olympics," said two-time Canadian Olympian Rachel Homan.
As nations compete for Olympic qualification, top curlers will face off in a round-robin tournament to secure their spots.
Summary: South Lake Tahoe's inaugural Grand Slam of Curling event highlights the sport's growing competitiveness and Canada's crucial preparations for Olympic qualification.