The ice at the Wausau Curling Club remains in top shape as it prepares for the Championships - Photo by MWC's Tom Schumacher
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) – As the arena curling world prepares to arrive in Wausau next week in hopes of taking home the 2024 Championship, Wausau Curling Center members are putting their final touches on their one-of-a-kind venue, which is expected to play host to hundreds of fans, players, and coaches alike.
The championships will include the top 12 men’s and top 12 women’s teams from around the country who qualified during the regional championships earlier this year, including the storied defending champions from the Segovia women’s rink in Houston and the Myers men’s rink in Dallas-Fort Worth. However, teams from California to Cleveland who may not even have their own dedicated rink aren’t coming all this way to go home empty-handed as they look to pull off an upset and bring a title back to their hometowns.
Board of Directors Co-Chair Steve O’Keefe spoke about what he’s expecting the atmosphere to be like when things get underway, saying, “We wanna make a party atmosphere, so we’re having an Oktoberfest theme that includes food and beverages, and we are running a special so fans online can buy a five-day event pass for $20 per person, so fans will save a substantial amount, and we just want people to come down and see some curling and have some fun.”
Arena Nationals Co-Chair Kim Susans says that curling has a unique advantage that many other sports and leagues don’t, saying, “It is a climate-controlled winter sport, so the wind does not affect us, the amount of snow on the ground doesn’t affect us, and you can curl all winter long and it’s 45 degrees.”
As it currently stands, the club is expecting up to 300 visitors to make the trip to Wausau next week Wednesday, as teams will get an opportunity to practice at the facility before beginning play on Thursday at 8 a.m. in front of fans and family.
The Wausau Curling Club has an estimated 400 members and is continuing to grow in popularity since Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin native John Shuster brought home Team USA’s first curling gold medal in program history during the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, improbably defeating two powerhouses in Sweden and Canada. Shuster did not stop there, as he also brought home a bronze medal during the 2021 World Curling Championships in Calgary.
Fans who aren’t able to attend during the weekdays or in the morning can also attend next Saturday and Sunday, as the games will be taking place throughout the day and evening. Admission at the door will be just $10 per day or $30 for the entire series, while children fifteen and under will be admitted free entry.
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