Get to know the teams competing at this year’s men’s world curling championships
Brad Jacobs and his team from Alberta will proudly represent Canada at the upcoming BKT Tires World Men’s Curling Championship, set to kick off this Saturday at the Moose Jaw Events Centre. Here is a rundown of the 13 competing teams in alphabetical order, highlighting key athletes from skip to lead:
**AUSTRIA**
**Athletes:** Mathias Genner, Jonas Backofen, Martin Reichel, Florian Mavec
Austria is making a comeback at the world championship after a long hiatus since 2002. Genner, a familiar face from the Youth Olympic Games in 2012, adds experience to the team.
**CANADA**
**Athletes:** Brad Jacobs, Marc Kennedy, Brett Gallant, Ben Hebert
The Canadian team secured their spot by winning the recent Montana’s Brier in Kelowna, B.C. It has been a while since Canada claimed gold at this event, with the last victory dating back to Brad Gushue’s triumph in 2017 in Edmonton.
**CHINA**
**Athletes:** Xiaoming Xu, Xueqing Fei, Zhiyu Wang, Zhichao Li
Xu led his team to a surprising victory at the Pan Continental playdowns, outshining even the Canadian representation. The competition is sure to be fierce with China’s strong presence.
**CZECHIA**
**Athletes:** Lukas Klima, Marek Cernovsky, Martin Jurik, Lukas Klipa
Klima, a seasoned player, will mark his fifth appearance at the men’s worlds. Despite his past achievements, he is eager to make a mark this year.
**GERMANY**
**Athletes:** Marc Muskatewitz, Benjamin Kapp, Felix Messenzehl, Johannes Scheuerl
The reigning European champions are on a roll this season, showcasing their skills on the Grand Slam of Curling circuit. Germany is definitely a team to watch out for.
**ITALY**
**Athletes:** Joel Retornaz, Amos Mosaner, Sebastiano Arman, Mattia Giovanella
As the host team for the upcoming Winter Games in Milan/Cortina, Italy, this squad is looking to make a strong impression. Retornaz’s leadership led them to a bronze medal last year, setting high expectations for this year’s performance.
**JAPAN**
**Athletes:** Riku Yanagisawa, Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi, Takeru Yamamoto, Satoshi Koizumi
Making their second world championship appearance, the Japanese team aims to improve upon their seventh-place finish at the 2023 playdowns in Ottawa.
**SOUTH KOREA**
**Athletes:** Hyojun Kim, Eunbin Kim, Jeongim Pyo, Jinhun Kim
With all players in their early 20s, this South Korean team is a force to be reckoned with, having recently transitioned from the world junior championship.
**NORWAY**
**Athletes:** Magnus Ramsfjell, Martin Sesaker, Bendik Ramsfjell, Gaute Nepstad
Ranked 14th in the world, Ramsfjell and his team clinched bronze at the European playdowns last year, showcasing their potential for success at the upcoming championship.
**SCOTLAND**
**Athletes:** Bruce Mouat, Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie, Hammy McMillan
The reigning world champions hold a strong position in the world rankings, with a notable silver win at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. The Scots are undoubtedly a team to watch out for.
**SWEDEN**
**Athletes:** Niklas Edin, Oskar Eriksson, Rasmus Wranaa, Christoffer Sundgren
Despite a challenging season, the reigning Olympic and world champions bring valuable experience to the competition. Edin, a seasoned player, will participate in his 14th world championship.
**SWITZERLAND**
**Athletes:** Yannick Schwaller, Benoit Schwarz-Van Berkel, Sven Michel, Pablo Lachat-Couchepin
With Schwaller at third, this fourth-ranked Swiss team boasts a strong lineup. Having secured bronze two years ago, they are eager to make their mark once again.
**UNITED STATES**
**Athletes:** Korey Dropkin, Tom Howell, Andrew Stopera, Mark Fenner
Dropkin, a familiar face at the world championship, is aiming to improve upon his fourth-place finish in 2022. The United States team is determined to make a mark at this year’s competition.
Stay tuned as these talented teams battle it out on the ice for the prestigious title at the BKT Tires World Men’s Curling Championship. Don’t miss the thrilling action as the best of the best compete for curling glory.
