Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championship’s first silver medallist takes the ice in Boucherville, Que.

Gerry Austgarden of Team British Columbia #1 holds a silver medal from the first Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championship in 2004. Fast forward 21 years, and Austgarden proudly took the ice again in West Coast colours Tuesday afternoon at the Club de curling de Boucherville for an 8-4 win over Team Nova Scotia’s Laughlin Rutt.

Austgarden throws second stones for Team British Columbia #1’s Rick Robinson, alongside vice-skip Ina Forrest, lead Glen Mcdonald, and coach Sharon Morrison.

“When the championship first started out, there were just two British Columbia teams and two Ontario teams,” said Austgarden, reflecting on the beginnings of the national championship. “The event has come a long way, and the sport has clearly grown quite a bit.”

Austgarden spent some years away from the national championship after two successful seasons to represent Team Canada on the international stage. Notably, he competed at the 2006 Winter Paralympic Games at Turin, Italy, where wheelchair curling made its Paralympic debut, and came back with the first Paralympic gold medal in the sport.

“I started curling through the local church at an old two-sheet curling club,” said Austgarden. “I played a little bit of high school curling before my accident and then didn’t play for a number of years. But, in 2003, I read an article that wheelchair curling was going to be a Paralympic sport, so I thought I’d better get involved. I called the local club, and they told me to come on down and start training. Before I knew it, I was selected to be on one of the British Columbian teams that went to the first major championship.”

Austgarden is not alone in his longstanding commitment to the sport, as several other athletes, including his teammate Forrest, who discovered wheelchair curling in 2004, have witnessed the national event throughout its entire evolution.

The two British Columbian veterans play an immense role on their team and helped keep the scoreboard on their side during Tuesday afternoon’s game.

Although it appeared the Westerners had the game under control, Nova Scotia’s Laughlin Rutt called a great game and made several under-pressure shots to threaten his opponent’s lead. In the seventh end, five British Columbian rocks were in position to seal the game before Rutt made a great hit-and-roll to the button to steal one.

However, Rutt’s tremendous game came up just short of Team Robinson’s consistent strength and finished the eighth end conceding two points.

“Actually, I’m winding down,” said Austgarden when asked about his future in the event. “I’m kind of slowly passing the reins to Rick, who’s a newer player. We’ve been at a couple Canadian championships together, and it’s great to get more people out on the ice.”

Curlers who have made similar long-term commitments to wheelchair curling in Canada are a true testament to the passion for the sport and level of competition that exists.

Team British Columbia #1’s Rick Robinson improves their record to 1-1 and returns to the ice Tuesday evening at 7 p.m., (all times Eastern) to face Team Northern Ontario’s Douglas Dean (1-1).

Other Tuesday afternoon action included British Columbia #2’s Marney Smithies overpowering Team New Brunswick’s Michael Fitzgerald 6-4, a 7-6 win for Team Saskatchewan #2’s Pete Andrews over Team Northern Ontario’s Douglas Dean, and a 9-5 victory for Team Québec #2’s Luc Hamel over Team Ontario’s Shauna Petrie.

For live scores, team lineups, and schedule information, click here.

Tickets to the 2025 Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championship are free of charge. For directions to the venue, click here.