Lohja, Finland to host World Wheelchair Curling Championship 2015

The World Curling Federation (WCF) has announced that Lohja in Finland will host the World Wheelchair Curling Championship 2015. The event will be held in the Kisakallio Sports Institute between 7-14 February 2015.

"The World Curling Federation is delighted to announce that the 2015 Championship will be held in Finland. The Kisakallio Sports Institute has hosted several WCF events in the past, most recently the European Junior Curling Challenge 2014 and World Wheelchair Curling Qualification Events," said World Curling Federation President Kate Caithness.

She continued: "Time and time again they have proven to be exceptional hosts at this first class facility which is perfectly equipped for wheelchair athletes. The World Curling Federation looks forward to working with the Finnish Curling Association and local partners at this event."

Finnish Curling Association President, Olli Rissanen, said: "The Finnish Curling Association is excited and thankful to the World Curling Federation for trusting us to host this event. Kisakallio Sports Institute is a very important partner of the Finnish Curling Association and especially for Finnish wheelchair curling - so for us, Kisakallio is the natural place to host this Championship.

"Events like this are also very important for the development of the sport, especially following the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, where the Finnish wheelchair curling team will play for the first time in our history."

Petri Tarkkanen, Managing Director of Kisakallio Sports Institute, is delighted to be welcoming curling back to the facility. He said: "Kisakallio Sports Institute is honoured to host the World Wheelchair Curling Championship 2015. Kisakallio is an ideal place to host big events and we are happy that all the curling teams will get to experience the Kisakallio spirit.

"The feedback from our previous curling guests is that Kisakallio offers not only the outside and inside logistical success factor, but also a work force of volunteers and Institute staff that are ready to do their utmost to let the curling competitors and their support staff concentrate on one of the most important aspects of the competition - to have good curling! We thank the World Curling Federation and Finnish Curling Association for putting their trust in us again by giving us the opportunity to host this event in 2015."

The top seven placed teams from the World Wheelchair Curling Championship 2013, held in Sochi, Russia, plus hosts Finland, have already qualified automatically for the 2015 event. The top seven teams were Canada (Gold), Sweden (Silver), China (Bronze), USA, Russia, Scotland and Slovakia.

Qualification is based on the 2013 World Championship standings because no World Wheelchair Curling Championship is held during a Paralympic year.

The remaining two places will go to the teams finishing first and second at the World Wheelchair Curling Qualification event – venue and dates still to be confirmed.

This will be the second World Curling Championship held in Finland, following the inaugural World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship which was held in Vierumäki in 2008. The European Curling Championships were also held there in 2001.

The next major wheelchair curling event is the Paralmypic Winter Games 2014 which take place in Sochi, Russia between 7-16 March. You can keep up to date with all the action from this event here: http://sochi2014.curlingevents.com/paralympics

For more information contact:Joanna Kelly & Danny Parker

Media Relations - World Curling Federation

Tel: +372 592 442 35

media@worldcurling.org

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