Welcome, Pan Continental Curling

Editor’s Note: This story was written by Ardy Nurmi-Wilberg, member of Curl Mesabi and the United States Steel Pan Continental Curling Championships

The World is Coming to the Iron Range!

The U. S. Steel Pan Continental Curling Championships offer a once-in-a-curling-lifetime
experience for fans of all ages…whether you know anything about the game or not!

October 19-26, 40 teams from 25 countries will be battling it out for eight days as they chase five
spots each in the 2026 Men’s (Ogden, UT) and Women’s (Calgary, AB) World Championships.

Pan Continental Curling Championships Lacombe 2024

There will be two divisions curling at two different venues right here on the Iron Range. The “A” division will be playing at the Iron Trail Motors Event Center (ITMEC) in Virginia, featuring the top eight men’s and women’s teams from two World Curling zones – the Americas and Pacific Asia zones. Countries include – Team USA, Canada, Australia, China, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand and Philippines.

The “B” division will be playing at Curl Mesabi in Eveleth, with fifteen men’s and nine women’s
teams. Countries include Brazil, Chinese Taipei, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Hong Kong China,
India, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia and
Thailand.

Pan Continental Curling Championships Lacombe 2024

“What” you say? “Curling in places like Kenya, Puerto Rico and Saudi Arabia?” Picture the
Jamaican bobsled team with their first Olympic appearance in 1988, everyone is chasing those
elusive Olympic medals. Many of these countries don’t have curling clubs like we do here in the
northland, some live and curl in countries that do have curling like Canada and the USA.

Cheer Teams from Almost Every Corner of the World!

The popularity of curling has exploded all over the world, but especially in East Asia. Japan,
Korea and China have very strong teams who just keep getting better and better every year. As
a matter of fact, at the 2024 Pan Continental Champions in Calgary, China won the gold medal,
Japan the Silver, and our very own USA Team Shuster the bronze in the men’s competition.

And in the women’s, Canada won the gold, Korea the silver, and China the bronze.

Another exciting element of the event is that it will be televised! World Curling will film and
comment on selected games at the Iron Trail Motors Event Center every session, and other games will be live streamed. Some of the games will be televised live in Japan, Korea, and possibly China. Anyone else in the
world (including on the Range) can watch on the WC Curling Channel for a nominal fee. Not
only will we get to meet the world, but the world will get to meet the Iron Range!

Hometown and Homestate Teams to Compete

Our USA teams have been selected. Team Shuster from Duluth has qualified for the Men’s
event. The Shuster rink won the Olympic Gold Medal in 2018 in Pyeongchang South Korea, and
the Bronze Medal at the 2024 PCCC. Team members include John Shuster, Chris Plys, Matt
Hamilton, Colin Hufman, (Danny Casper- Alternate)

Team Peterson from St Paul, the reigning USA National Championship team qualified for the
Women’s event. Team Peterson won the women’s bronze medal at the 2023 PCCC, defeating
Canada in an extra end. Team members include Tabitha Peterson, Cory Thiesse, Tara Peterson,
Taylor Anderson-Heide, (Aileen Geving- Alternate).

Get Tickets Today!

The last time Curl Mesabi hosted a curling event of this scale was the World Junior Curling
Championships back in 2007. We are so excited to be bringing such an exciting competition
back to our area.

Be sure to join us October 19-26 and watch some past and hopeful future Olympic Medal
winners right here in Virginia and Eveleth!

Advance ticket sales now available at USA Curling and Iron Trail Motors Event Center or by clicking here. Follow Curl Mesabi and Iron Trail Motors Event Center on Facebook to learn about volunteer opportunities for the Pan Continental Curling Championship.

Make Reservations Today!

If you’d like to see elite curlers in our incredible Iron Range spaces, make plans to take it all in, grab a bite to eat and stay the night with us! Our lodging properties are ready to welcome you with great deals. Check them out here.