Thirty-two teams featuring curling's rising stars are set for the U21 Jr. GSOC event in Medicine Hat, Alberta.
The Grand Slam of Curling announced Wednesday the 16 men's teams and 16 women's teams invited to the tournament taking place Nov. 5-8 at the Medicine Hat Curling Club. The finals will be played on arena ice alongside the world's best in the GSOC Masters finals at Co-op Place.
Canadian teams from coast to coast will compete in the U21 Jr. GSOC event, along with international teams from Japan and the United States. Alberta will be well represented on home ice with 11 teams in the mix, including Medicine Hat's own Team Sherwick.
"Our team is very excited to have been selected to compete in the Jr. GSOC event at our home club, Medicine Hat Curling Centre," skip Lyndon Sherwick said in a release. "Getting to play against elite competition in front of our family and friends is an amazing opportunity that we are very grateful for.
"We also look forward to watching our favourite curlers compete at Co-op Place as much as we can. It will be a fun and memorable week that our team can't wait for!"
Fans will recognize some familiar names of second-generation curlers such as Team Hellman’s Luke Shuster, son of Olympic gold medallist John Shuster; Team Locke’s Hayley Gushue, daughter of Olympic gold medallist and six-time Brier champion Brad Gushue; Team Maksymetz’s Brechan Kennedy, daughter of two-time Olympic and world champion Marc Kennedy; skip Lila Koe, daughter of two-time world champion Kevin Koe; and skip Sydney Galusha, daughter of 22-time Scotties Tournament of Hearts competitor Kerry Galusha.
The next gen are already carving out their own curling paths. Hayley Gushue won the U Sports women’s title last season with Team Locke at Memorial University and will represent Canada at next year’s Winter World University Games in China. Lila Koe skipped her squad to the quarterfinals in last season's Jr. GSOC event in Nisku, Alberta. Sydney Galusha has represented the Northwest Territories at the past two Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
Manitoba’s Team Hayward, also a quarterfinalist in last year’s Jr. GSOC and a silver medallist at the Canadian Under-20 Curling Championships, will also compete in the women’s field.
Representing Japan are Team Fujii and Team Tanaka, who won the national junior titles earlier this year and have qualified for the 2027 World Junior Curling Championships.
Fans can watch the next generation of curling stars for free at the Medicine Hat Curling Club.
The draw schedule plus rules and regulations will be released two weeks before the event. See our F.A.Q. for more details.
Full-event and weekend ticket packages are now available for the GSOC Masters, Nov. 3-8, at Co-op Place, featuring the top men's and women's teams from around the world. Day passes will be available for purchase starting Aug. 4. The teams and draw schedule will be unveiled in October.
U21 Jr. GSOC field
| Men's Teams (Home Province/Country) | Women's Teams (Home Province/Country) |
| Bachek (AB) | Arndt (AB) |
| Duncan (AB) | DeSchiffart (AB) |
| Fujii (JPN) | Dubinsky (ON) |
| Heisler (SK) | Galusha (NT) |
| Hellman (USA) | Hayward (MB) |
| Hennig (AB) | Koe (AB) |
| Hrynew (BC) | Locke (NL) |
| Jaeger (BC) | Loudon (SK) |
| Janidlo (QC) | Livi Maksymetz (AB) |
| Lenox Maksymetz (AB) | McPherson (MB) |
| Mitsopoulos (AB) | Padget (AB) |
| Rose (USA) | Simpson (SK) |
| Sherwick (AB) | Tanaka (JPN) |
| Stockdale (AB) | Wood (SK) |
| Weiss (SK) | Yoo (BC) |
| Willkomm (NT) | Yurko (AB) |
