A team-by-team look at the field for the world men’s curling championship, March 30 to April 7 at the KSS Sports Complex in Schaffhausen, Switzerland.
CANADA
Skip — Brad Gushue, Third — Mark Nichols, Second — E.J. Harnden, Lead — Geoff Walker
St. John’s Curling Club
Gushue, the 2006 Olympic gold medallist, won the 2017 world championship but lost back-to-back finals in 2022 and 2023.
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CZECHIA
Skip — Lukas Klima, Third — Marek Cernovsky, Second — Martin Jurik, Lead — Lukas Klipa
Curling Club Zbraslav & CC Dion, Prague
Klima, a lawyer, is playing in his fourth world championship. He skipped a team to the bronze medal at the 2011 Winter Universiade, where he beat Canada’s Jonathan Beuk in a tiebreaker.
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GERMANY
Skip — Marc Muskatewitz, Third — Benjamin Kapp, Second — Felix Messenzehl, Lead — Johannes Scheuerl
CC Fussen
Muskatewitz is appearing at his sixth world championship, while the three other members of his team are making their debuts.
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ITALY
Skip — Joel Retornaz, Third — Amos Mosaner, Second — Sebastiano Arman, Lead — Mattia Giovanella
Sporting Club Pinerolo
Retornaz’s crew enters the world championship as the top ranked rink in the world. They won a bronze medal at the 2022 worlds.
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JAPAN
Skip — Shinya Abe, Third — Tetsuro Shimizu, Second — Haruto Ouchi, Lead — Sota Tsuruga
Tokoro Curling Club
The 43-year-old Abe was part of the team that lost the bronze medal to Switzerland 6-5 in an extra end at the 2019 world championship.
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NETHERLANDS
Skip — Wouter Gosgens, Third — Laurens Hoekman, Second — Jaap van Dorp, Lead — Alexander Magan
Curling Club PWA, Zoetermeer
Only 25, Gosgens is appearing at his sixth world championship. He qualified by finishing seventh at the European championship.
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NEW ZEALAND
Skip — Anton Hood, Third — Ben Smith, Second — Brett Sargon, Lead — Hunter Walker
Maniototo Curling International, Naseby & Alexandra Indoor Curling Rink, Alexandra
The team, which finished last at the 2023 world championship, spent this season training in Calgary where the curlers lived in a retirement residence.
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NORWAY
Skip — Magnus Ramsfjell, Third — Martin Sesaker, Second — Bendik Ramsfjell, Lead — Gaute Nepstad
Trondheim CurlingKlubb
Magnus Ramsfjell is the son of three-time world champion Eigil Ramsfjell. Magnus is appearing in his fourth world championship after finishing fifth in 2023.
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SCOTLAND
Skip — Bruce Mouat, Third — Grant Hardie, Second — Bobby Lammie, Leaf — Hammy McMillan Jr.
Gogar Park Curling Club, Edinburgh
Ranked No. 2 in the world, Mouat is the defending world champion and two-time European champion. Finished second at the 2021 worlds.
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SOUTH KOREA
Skip — Park Jong-duk, Third — Jeong Yeong-seok, Second — Oh Seung-hoon, Lead — Seong Ji-hoon
Gangwon Curling
Park, a five-time Korean champion, defeated Gushue during the preliminary round of the Pan Continentals before losing to Gushue in the final.
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SWEDEN
Skip — Niklas Edin, Third — Oskar Eriksson, Second — Rasmus Wrana, Lead — Christoffer Sundgren
Karlstads Curlingklubb, Karlstad
Edin has won six world championships, including four consecutive from 2018 to 2022. He also won Olympic gold in 2022, silver in 2018 and bronze in 2014.
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SWITZERLAND
Lead — Yannick Schwaller, Third — Benoit Schwarz, Second — Sven Michel, Lead — Pablo Lachat
Club de curling de Genève, Geneva
Schwaller’s foursome is ranked fifth in the world and finished third at last year’s world championships.
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UNITED STATES
Skip — John Shuster, Third — Chris Plys, Second — Colin Hufman, Lead — Matt Hamilton
Duluth Curling Club, Duluth, Min.
Schuster defeated Edin to win the 2018 Olympic gold medal. He was third at 2016 world championships.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 29, 2024.
Jim Morris, The Canadian Press
