Canada's mixed team wheelchair curling squad secured a narrow 9-8 victory over host Italy in their opening match at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Games. The game, played on Saturday, March 7, saw Canada build a strong lead before fending off a late comeback. Co-captain Ina Forrest, a veteran curler from Spallumcheen, helped guide the team to advancement in the tournament.
The match took place in Milano Cortina, Italy, marking the start of the wheelchair curling competition at the 2026 Paralympics. Canada jumped out to a 9-2 lead by the break against the Italian national team. However, Italy mounted a strong response, scoring six points over the last four ends and nearly forcing an extra end, but fell short in the 9-8 final score.
Ina Forrest, co-captain of Team Canada, is among the country's most accomplished wheelchair curlers. She has reached the podium in all four of her previous Paralympic appearances: earning gold medals with Canada in 2010 and 2014, and bronze medals in 2018 at PyeongChang and 2022 in Beijing.
With the win, Canada advances to the next round. The team is scheduled to face Great Britain on Sunday morning and Norway in the afternoon. While China enters as the favorite, having won gold at three of the last four world championships and defending their Paralympic title, Canada has a strong history in the sport. Wheelchair curling debuted as a Paralympic event in 2006, and Canada has medaled in every Games since then.
This victory sets a positive tone for Canada's campaign in a competitive field.
