World Wheelchair Mixed Doubles Curling Championship

Two formats combined

The discipline combines the rules of wheelchair curling with the mixed doubles format. Each team consists of two people, one woman and one man. As in standing mixed doubles, stones are placed in fixed positions before each end, and there is a power play.

What is different

Compared with standing mixed doubles, the main difference is that there is no sweeping: every stone must be delivered with the right weight. Stones are played from the wheelchair with a delivery stick. Because the team has only two people, every player must be able to play both draws and takeouts. The full wheelchair curling rules are explained in the entry on the World Wheelchair Curling Championship.

History

The first wheelchair mixed doubles world championship took place in 2022. At the 2026 Paralympic Games in Milan and Cortina, the discipline was included in the programme for the first time. Paralympic curling therefore now has two medal events.

Format

Participants play a group stage, followed by semi-finals and a final. Because mixed doubles games are short, the championship fits into a week, often alongside or after the four-player world championship. World Curling announces the format for each edition.

Why the new discipline matters

For many federations it is easier to develop two players to international level than four. Mixed doubles therefore opens the sport to more countries and more athletes. Games are shorter and more attacking than in four-player curling.

Getting started

Anyone in a wheelchair who wants to try curling only needs a delivery stick and access to a rink. Many curling clubs in Germany, Austria and Switzerland are barrier-free and offer training. For mixed doubles, one partner is enough to play regularly.

Classification

As in four-player wheelchair curling, players with impairments of the lower limbs are eligible. The exact criteria are set by World Curling.

Paralympic debut in 2026

At the 2026 Paralympic Games in Milan and Cortina, wheelchair mixed doubles was held for the first time. It was played in Cortina d'Ampezzo, in the 1956 Olympic stadium, which is now a curling venue. The young discipline thus got a Paralympic stage only a few years after its first world championship.

Significance for smaller nations

For federations it is easier to bring a duo rather than a four-player team to world level. Many countries with little chance in classic wheelchair curling see mixed doubles as a realistic route to international success. This also applies to Germany and Austria, which are expanding their para curling programmes.

Tactics for two

In wheelchair mixed doubles there are no sweepers to rescue a stone that is too short or too long. Teams therefore plan more cautiously: they deliberately place stones where a small error in weight is not punished straight away. At the same time, the pre-placed stones mean that a lot is in the house from the first stone of the end. This leads to high-scoring ends, often with three or more points for one team.

Getting involved

Several curling rinks in Germany, Austria and Switzerland have barrier-free access and training groups. A delivery stick can usually be borrowed, so no equipment of your own is needed for a first try.

Many players come from four-player wheelchair curling and play both disciplines.