Almaty, Kazakhstan, to host the Pacific-Asia Curling Championships 2021

For immediate release: Thursday 12 August 2021

Almaty, Kazakhstan — Kazakhstan’s largest city — Almaty — located in the southern mountainous area of the country, will once again stage the Pacific-Asia Curling Championships. The event will run from 6–13 November 2021 at the Almaty Arena. This is an open entry qualification event to the World Championships for teams competing in the Pacific-Asia zone.

This will be the official return of the championships — since the 2019 championships in Shenzhen, China — after the 2020 edition was cancelled due to the pandemic.

Although this will be Almaty’s second time hosting the championships, this will mark the first time a World Curling Federation event will be held in the Almaty Arena. The Arena was brought to life with hopes that Kazakhstan would be hosting the Olympic Winter Games 2022 and most recently held the Winter Universiade Games 2017 curling competition. It seats 533 people, has a restaurant and room for 180 athletes to compete.

“I’m pleased to see the Pacific-Asia Curling Championships return to scenic Almaty, Kazakhstan,” said World Curling Federation, Kate Caithness. “The host committee produced a first-class event in 2015 and I’m sure they’ll rise to the occasion once more.”

“Our Pacific-Asia zone continues to see fantastic growth and development following the 2018 Olympics and Paralympics in PyeongChang. With the build-up to Beijing 2022 fully underway, this is an exciting time for the curling family.”

Amantay Kurenbekov, Chairman of the Local Organising Committee said: “The city of Almaty, Kazakhstan will host the third world biggest curling event after Pacific-Asia Curling Championships 2015 and the Winter Universiade Games 2017 at the Almaty Arena and Kazakhstan National Curling Center. We will do the best of the best to satisfy the expectations of the athletes, coaches and officials.”

“The 2021 season will be of great significance to us as we will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Eurasian Curling Event under the patronage of the Kazakhstan National Leader Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev. In regard to this history and knowing that the Pacific-Asia Curling Championships will be the highlight of the season, we are delighted to invite our curling friends to join us in these celebrations.”

In the women’s championship, the gold and silver medal winners will earn places in the World Women’s Curling Championship 2022 being held in Prince George, Canada. The bronze medal winners and fourth-placed finishers will receive a place in the World Qualification Event 2022.

In the men’s competition, the gold medal winner will earn a place in the World Men’s Curling Championship 2022, while the silver and bronze medal winners will secure places at the World Qualification Event 2022.

These places are determined due to the final rankings from last year’s world championships.

China women and Korea men are currently the reigning Pacific-Asia champions.

Engage with the World Curling Federation in the build-up to the Pacific-Asia Curling Championships 2021 on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Weibo and by searching the hashtag #OurHouse #curling #PACC2021

Ends

Notes to Editors

About the World Curling Federation www.worldcurling.orgThe World Curling Federation is the international sport federation governing the Olympic winter sport of curling and the Paralympic winter sport of wheelchair curling. The World Curling Federation is one of seven International Federations currently part of the Olympic Winter Games programme. It represents 67 Member Associations and is generally acknowledged to direct one of the fastest-growing international winter sports.

Media resources

Media Centre: worldcurling.org/media

Photos: photos.worldcurling.org

For further information, please contact:

Christopher Hamilton Head of Media

Emily Dwyer Media Officer

World Curling Federation e: media@worldcurling.org

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