Slated for early March, the 2024 World Wheelchair Curling Championship is set to take place at the Gangneung Curling Centre in Gangneung, South Korea as the Chinese look to make history. In the last two installments of the event, China has taken home the gold medal twice, with Wang Haitao and Zhang Mingliang operating as the main stalwarts for the Chinese squad in 2021 and 2023. However, they will face some stiff competition from Canada, which has won the silver medal twice in the last three times the competition has been held (2023 and 2020). Should the Canadians bring back their experienced squad, this could be the year they win their first gold since 2013. In terms of other squads to look out for, both Scotland (third place in 2023) and Sweden in 2021 have made runs at the championship, but have come up short. However, this could be their year as well to make the charge.
For this article, SBS will be going over what to look for from each team heading into the championship, a predicted winner, and also some more notes about curling and betting.
| Favorites to Win The 2024 World Wheelchair Curling Championship |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | +100 | +100 | +100 |
| Canada | +300 | +300 | +300 |
| Scotland | +450 | +450 | +450 |
| Sweden | +500 | +500 | +500 |
At last year’s World Wheelchair Curling Championship, China was led by the squad of Haitao, Zhang Shuaiyu, Yang Jingqiao, and Li Nana. That squad ran roughshod over the competition, only losing one contest during the round-robin portion of play and notching a 10-1 overall record. The Chinese ended up losing to third-place South Korea during this portion of play in the championship. In the final match against Canada, China was able to pull away with a stellar eighth frame where they scored two points to clinch the title, 5-2. Of course, it will be hard to win three in this year’s installment, but the Chinese team is up for the challenge given their outstanding track record at the championship as of late and a chance to win a record-tying fourth overall gold medal at the World Wheelchair Curling Championships.
Last year’s second-place squad, Canada is another team that has performed historically well at the competition given their seven overall medals, including three gold medals of their own. In round-robin play last year, the Canadians achieved an overall mark of 9-2, with their only blemishes coming against the Chinese squad along with a loss against South Korea as well. With skipper Mark Ideson at the helm, Canada was able to notch another silver medal, bringing the country’s overall total in silver medals to three in the competition. This ties them with Sweden for the most silver medals all-time at the competition. Of course, they would like to score a victory here given it has been over 10 years since the Canadians took home the gold at the championship.
Another squad that has performed historically steady at the World Wheelchair Curling Championship, Scotland has not won a gold medal in the competition since 2005. This of course was held on the Scottish home turf in Braehead. Regardless, Scotland holds the record for most overall medals at this tournament with eight overall. While they barely snuck into the playoff portion of the competition with a 5-6 mark in the round-robin segment, the Scottish team was able to notch the bronze medal with a 7-4 victory over Sweden in the penultimate game of the tournament. Scotland also scored a huge upset win over South Korea last year, 6-3 in the qualification round.
Our last contender in the spotlight, Sweden is aiming for its first-ever gold medal at the competition after having come up short on three such occasions in its history at the tournament. Of course, they will have to deal with a loaded field and also have to rebound after falling flat in the third-place game at last year’s world championship. Regardless, skip Viljo Petersson-Dahl should have his crew ready to roll and also ready to improve on their 6-5 mark during the open portion of the tournament last year. They are also looking to avenge their 5-2 loss to China in the semifinals.
Prediction: Another exciting edition of this championship, take China to win this competition given that they do not have to travel as far as other teams and have been dominant at this world championship competition.
Once you are all done doing your homework on the 2024 World Wheelchair Curling Championship, make sure to tap into the huge array of resources for you at SBS. Of course, for even more ways to bolster your bets, make sure to check out the best bonus betting sites guide which gives you a ton of great information and also tips for getting the most out of promotions. Moreover, this page has a catalog of different bonus offers available to you. On another note, the best betting apps breakdown is a must-read page that details the nuances of mobile betting sites and how you can use them to stay on top of the action this year and beyond. Finally, the last resource to touch on here is the VIP sports betting sites rundown which covers the finer points of VIP betting and if it might make sense for you.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football in the Mountain West Conference, and basketball. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones.
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