Sudbury curling fans will get an early look at future Canadian Olympic curlers next spring as the Nickel City prepares to play host to a pair of top-end events at the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.

From March 28th to April 5th, the city will be abuzz with no less than 36 youth teams from right across Canada (18 in each gender) as Sudbury serves as the site for the 2026 New Holland Canadian Under-20 Championships.

The same event that served as a wonderful developmental grounds for two-time world champion Tracy Fleury and is currently welcoming locals Mia Toner, Brendan Rajala, Justine Toner and Samantha Digiglio to the 2025 host city of Summerside (P.E.I.) will bring together much of the best young curling talent from one coast to the other.

In March of 2023, Sudbury received rave reviews for the work of the organizing committee and the enthusiasm of the local curling fan base as the Canadian Mixed Doubles Championships and U Sports Canadian University Championships monopolized Countryside Arena.

Well before that, however, our city was greeting fans to the Montana's Brier (1983 & 1953) as well as the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in 2001.

Beyond that, in the spring of 1990, the Garson Arena was host venue to the Pepsi Juniors.

In terms of the quality of the field, consider for a moment that all of Brad Gushue, Kevin Martin, Rachel Homan, Jennifer Jones, Brendan Bottcher and Matt Dunstone can lay claim to being former champions.

Just prior to the Under-20 Championships, the ice will be warmed up by an elite field in town for the World Under-21 Mixed Doubles Championships from March 24th to the 27th.

The winning team at this competition will represent Canada at the world event at a site still to be announced by the World Curling (formerly the World Curling Federation).