Wheelchair Curling

Sport Snapshot

What is Wheelchair Curling?

Wheelchair curling is for individuals who are unable to walk or can only walk short distances. This includes players with significant impairments in lower leg/gait function, such as spinal injury, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis or leg amputation, who use a wheelchair for mobility.

Competitive Wheelchair curling is a mixed team discipline meaning each team must be comprised of female and male players. Delivery of the stones may be aided by the use of delivery sticks and there is no sweeping.

Learn about Wheelchair Curling (video)

Getting started

Curling is an inclusive sport where leagues are made up of players with all abilities and ages playing side by side in 4-person teams. During the Curling season in Australia, weekly Curling takes place in 3 states: Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia. Locate your nearest location by going to the ‘contact page‘. Most States offer a Come and Try event at the beginning of the season (Feb to April depending on the State) and periodically at other times during the year.

No special equipment is needed to get started with wheelchair curling. You can use your regular wheelchair, just ensure the wheels are clean before entering the ice. Delivery sticks are available at every rink, so all you’ll need are warm, layered clothes. A lap belt can offer added stability and enhance your range of movement. Please note, most rinks do not provide wheelchairs for rent or have spare ones available, so be sure to bring your own.

When you start, a volunteer instructor will take the time to introduce the techniques to you gradually and let you learn to throw the stones and practice before starting to play games.

Development Pathways

There are many ability levels and Wheelchair Curlers can play in fun leagues, compete at Nationals and represent Australia overseas in World Curling-endorsed events or other international competitions. League play does not require classification.

There are two Wheelchair disciplines teams can nominate to compete in at Nationals; Wheelchair Mixed Doubles and Wheelchair (Fours). National events are held annually and individuals wishing to nominate in a Wheelchair team for Nationals must complete a classification form for review by Curling Australia’s classifier and receive provisional classification prior to nomination. See more information below under the heading “Classification Information”.

The Eligibility and Selection Document on the Policies and Documents webpage details the process for World Qualification Events, World Championships and Invitational Championships. The team successful at the National Championship has first preference for these events as detailed in the document.

International Representation

Paralympics Australia provides a detailed Wheelchair Curling information sheet including who can compete. Click on the image to view the document in full.

Paralympics Australia released this chart to summarise for all sports who can compete at the Paralympic Games. Click here to see the chart (“Wheelchair Curling” on page 2).

Wheelchair Curling at the Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 will consist of two competitions with ten National Paralympic Committees competing in the Mixed Team event and eight National Paralympic Committees competing in the Mixed Doubles event. The full Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 qualification procedure is available here.

Classification Information

Classification is an assessment process used in Para-Sport, to group athletes whose disabilities (or impairments) cause similar limitations in their sport together for competition. Classification is not required for recreation or social involvement in Para-sport. Classification in Wheelchair Curling is open to athletes aged 18 and over. For the Curling Australia National Classification Master List please click the image below:

A World Curling Master list of classified Wheelchair Curlers can be found here under the Wheelchair section as well as the classification rules. The Lexi system explains parasport classification:

Classification Form

The athlete Medical Diagnostics Form and Provisional Classification Form can be found on the Policies and Documents page under “Classification”. Please note – this form should not be sent through email. If you are filling it out please first reach out to the Company Secretary at secretary@curling.org.au to express your interest. There is a process for uploading documents to a secure drive and this will be communicated to you.

Sport Integrity Australia eLearning Requirements

In partnership with Sport Integrity Australia (SIA), Curling Australia (CA) has developed an education plan. Details about the CA Education Plan can be found here for required eLearning that Wheelchair Curlers and Coaches must complete at the National level or above. Courses are completed on SIA’s website with the link found here.

Australian Wheelchair Curlers

2024 November: Australian Wheelchair Curlers (Front Row L-R): Nathan, Ali, Jane, Phil and James attend the Asia Wheelchair Curling Championship 2024 in Icheon, South Korea with their amazing support team members. This open-entry event allowed Wheelchair Curlers to compete without requiring official classification, opening up a fantastic opportunity for more players to participate internationally.

2023 November: Australian Wheelchair Curlers (L-R): Ali, Mark, and James attend the Asia Wheelchair Curling Championship 2023 in Korea. The event was held at the site of the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic and Paralympic Winter venue. Mark Blowers became the first classified Wheelchair Curler in Australia at this event.

2023 July: Wheelchair Curlers competing in a weekly league game. (Curling WA)

Click here: Watch a regular League Game featuring WA Wheelchair Curlers

Videos

World Curling has provided some excellent videos to support Wheelchair Curlers in numerous aspects of the game. Subtitles/closed captions are available on most videos.