Canada focused on mixed doubles wheelchair curling Paralympic berth

Mark Ideson is no stranger to facing pressure on the curling ice.

He loves the bright lights and big stage, having competed in nine wheelchair curling world championships for Canada and has also represented the country at the last three Paralympic Games. 

Ideson, from London, Ont., won Paralympic gold in 2014 before winning back-to-back bronze medals in four-person curling.

But he's about to enter an entirely new challenge – trying to qualify Canada alongside veteran curler Ina Forrest in the newly added discipline of mixed doubles wheelchair curling at the 2026 Paralympics.

"Ina and I are big game players. So we're excited to get there and get going. This is our 10th world championship together but obviously a new discipline. So it's been a bit of a learning curve," Ideson said. 

"I'm a little bit of a risk taker on the ice. And she's conservative. So we balance each other out and we know each other really well and trust each other out there."

Ideson and Forrest have been staples on the four-person Canadian team for a decade – however, that team has already qualified for the Paralympics after strong showings at the last two world championships.

WATCH | Wheelchair curler Mark Ideson focused on new event:

Canadian wheelchair curler Mark Ideson eyes inaugural mixed doubles Paralympic event

Countries qualify in the Paralympic wheelchair four-person game and mixed doubles by racking up enough combined points based on placement at the 2023, 2024 and 2025 world championships.

Canada is comfortably situated in four-person standings having made it to the championship games the last two world championships. Ten countries will compete in that event in Italy next year. 

The four-person wheelchair world curling championships are