Foothills curling is on the world stage.
Diamond Valley’s Michael Keenan and Team Kenan Wipf are representing Canada at the World Junior Curling Championships from April 12-21 in Cortina, Italy, alongside lead Max Cinnamon from Cochrane.
Team Canada kicks off its competition on Saturday versus Denmark with games against Korea, United States, Germany, Norway, Switzerland, Italy, Scotland and Japan to follow.
The competition follows a round-robin format with the top four teams advancing to the medal round.
Team Wipf earned the right to represent Canada at worlds as the 2024 national champions after taking home the New Holland U21 Canadian Curling Championships with a dramatic 7-6 victory over Nova Scotia’s Team MacIsaac last March.
Team Wipf is comprised of the Calgarian skip along with third Ky Macaulay from Rocky View County, Keenan at second, lead Max Cinnamon from Cochrane and Yellowknife’s Adam Naugler as alternate.
The team, which doubles as the University of Calgary Dinos’ varsity squad, has been together for a number of years and tasted success and competed at nationals at both the U21 and U18 levels.
Keenan grew up around the game in the Foothills with his father Peter an icemaker in Black Diamond and Okotoks while also learning the sport through the Okotoks Junior Curling Academy.
In addition to hosting the worlds, the championships are also serving as a test event for the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
For more information, including links to live streams of select games, click here.
