Spallumcheen's Ina Forrest to represent Canada at World Wheelchair Curling Championships

Photo: Contributed - Curling Canada

Ina Forrest will again be going for the gold with Team Canada.

The Spallumcheen wheelchair curler will represent Canada at the World Wheelchair Curling Championship in Gangnueng, South Korea, March 2 to 9.

Joining Forrest will be skip Mark Ideson (London, Ont.), fourth Jon Thurston (Dunsford, Ont.), second Gilbert Dash (Wolseley, Sask.) and fifth Chrissy Molnar (Trent Lakes, Ont.).

Canada will be among 12 mixed-gender teams competing in Gangneung, and will be looking for another strong performance following last year’s silver-medal finish in Richmond.

"After a thorough selection process, these athletes have earned the opportunity to represent Canada at the World Championships on the basis of their dedicated training and high-calibre play at competitions during the fall," said Head Coach Mick Lizmore. “This year’s teams represent a mix of experience and newer players to the national program. We are excited to attempt to build upon last year’s podium performances.”

Forrest is a celebrated wheelchair curler with numerous accolades and curling titles to her name, including Olympic medals. She reached the podium in all three of her Paralympic Games appearances.

The Canadian Paralympic website states Forrest has competed at 12 straight wheelchair curling world championships, starting in 2007, including winning three world titles and a silver medal.

Forrest, one of the world’s most decorated wheelchair curlers, was inducted into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in 2016.

She began curling in 2004 after an avid local wheelchair curler approached her while shopping and suggested she give it a try. Two weeks later, she was hooked.

As a member of the British Columbia wheelchair curling team, she won silver at the 2004 and 2005 Canadian National Wheelchair Curling Championships.