Husband-and-wife curling team Kadriana and Colton Lott are off to a commanding start at the 2026 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship, using experience, precision and strong communication to position Canada atop its pool.
Kadriana (on the title) and Colton Lott of Gimli, compete for Canada at the 2026 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship in Geneva, Switzerland, where they sit first in Pool B after Monday
The Gimli duo opened the event with a 6-4 win over South Korea and have since built momentum through the round robin, improving to 4-0 with a statement victory over reigning world champions Italy.
After more than a year of preparation to earn the right to wear the Maple Leaf, Kadriana said settling into the ice early made a difference.
“Usually, a big event like this, you’re nervous to start,” she said. “It was good to have a strong start… now we feel more comfortable knowing what the ice is doing.”
Canada’s opening win set the tone, with Kadriana’s draw weight and Colton’s key hits helping the pair control play. They built a 5-1 lead at the break and held off a late push from South Korea.
The Lotts carried that form into Sunday, posting two more wins — including a 7-3 decision over the United States and a 10-4 victory against Finland — to remain unbeaten.
Colton’s experience at the highest level has been evident throughout the week. Fresh off a national title at the Montana’s Brier and a silver medal at the world men’s championship, he has helped guide the team’s read of the ice.
“He reads the ice like no other,” Kadriana said. “For us, we caught on a bit faster than they did, and that was a huge part in our win.”
Their biggest test came Monday against Italy’s Stefania Constantini and Amos Mosaner, widely considered one of the top mixed doubles teams in the world.
In a tightly played game, Canada capitalized on key Italian misses and forced an extra end, where they sealed a 6-5 victory with a steal.
“We knew this was probably gonna be our biggest game of the round robin,” Kadriana said. “Coming out with that win just makes us more eager to keep doing better each game.”
The win gave Canada sole possession of first place in Pool B and put the Lotts on track for a potential bye to the semifinals.
Through four games, the pair has demonstrated the balance required in mixed doubles — combining precise draw play with timely power shots and strong communication built over years of curling together.
“I think we’re quite happy with how we’ve played,” Colton said. “It’s trying to get a handle on the ice as soon as we can and then really capitalize on the misses.”
Canada opened the championship with a 6-4 win over South Korea on April 25, followed by a 10-4 victory over Finland and a 7-3 win against the United States on April 26. The Lotts improved to 4-0 with a 6-5 extra-end win over Italy on April 27.
The Canadian duo returns to the ice Tuesday for a pair of games, facing Hungary at 10 a.m. and Scotland at 7 p.m. They continue round-robin play Wednesday against Germany at 2 p.m., before wrapping up the schedule Thursday with games against Czechia at 10 a.m. and host Switzerland at 7 p.m. (Times listed are local to Geneva; seven hours ahead of Manitoba).
Fans can follow scores, standings and schedules throughout the week on the official World Curling website at www.worldcurling.org.
