Latvia’s Men’s Curling Team Begins World Senior Championship Campaign in Geneva
Geneva, Switzerland – Latvia’s senior men’s curling team opened its quest for a World Championship medal on Saturday, April 26, 2026, facing Ireland in the opening draw of the World Senior Curling Championships at the Centre Sportif Sous-Molin arena.
The Latvian squad, skipped by Ansis Regža and featuring Janis Redlihs, Aivars Purmalis, and Aivars Lācis, began its round-robin campaign at 9:00 a.m. Local time (07:00 UTC) as confirmed by multiple Latvian sports outlets covering the team’s departure for Switzerland.
According to verified tournament information, Latvia competes in Group A alongside Canada, Ireland, Nigeria, and Slovenia. The team’s opening match against Ireland marked the beginning of a challenging schedule that includes a meeting with Nigeria on April 27 at 4:00 p.m. Local time (14:00 UTC) and a highly anticipated clash with powerhouse Canada on April 28 at 9:00 a.m. Local time (07:00 UTC).
The Canadian team, described in pre-tournament coverage as having “won the championship in six of the last six seasons with various lineups” and never having finished worse than second since the event’s inception in 2002, represents Latvia’s stiffest test in the preliminary round. Latvia’s final group match is scheduled for April 29 at 1:00 p.m. Local time (11:00 UTC) against Slovenia.
Team Latvia brings significant international experience to Geneva. Skip Ansis Regža is competing in his ninth World Senior Championship, while teammates Janis Redlihs and Aivars Purmalis are each appearing in their eleventh championship. Aivars Lācis is participating in his sixth World Senior Championship appearance.
The quartet previously achieved Latvia’s best-ever result at the World Senior Curling Championships in 2023, finishing ninth among 24 competing nations. That performance established a benchmark for the team as it seeks to improve upon that result in the expanded 34-team field for the 2026 edition.
Latvia’s participation continues a pattern of Swiss hosting for major curling events. Geneva last hosted both the World Senior Championships and World Mixed Doubles Championship in 2022, continuing a curling tradition in the city that includes hosting the World Women’s Championship in 1982 and World Men’s and Women’s Championships in 1993.
The World Senior Curling Championship features competitors aged 50 and older, organized by the World Curling Federation. The tournament follows a modified format where the top 12 teams after round-robin play advance to the knockout stage. The top four teams receive automatic berths in the quarterfinals, while teams ranked fifth through twelfth compete in qualification games on the morning of May 1 to determine the remaining quarterfinal participants.
Semifinals are scheduled for the morning of May 2, with medal games set for the same day at 3:00 p.m. Local time (13:00 UTC). Latvia will need to finish among the top four in Group A to avoid the qualification round and advance directly to the quarterfinals.
Notably, Latvia will not be represented in the women’s competition at this year’s championship, marking the first time in recent years that the nation has entered only a men’s team in the senior division.
The team’s opening match against Ireland began at 9:00 a.m. Geneva time on April 26, with live updates available through the World Curling Federation’s official channels and Latvian sports media outlets.
Latvia’s next confirmed checkpoint is its second match against Nigeria on April 27 at 4:00 p.m. Local time (14:00 UTC) at the Centre Sportif Sous-Molin arena in Geneva.
What are your thoughts on Latvia’s chances in this year’s World Senior Curling Championship? Share your predictions in the comments below and follow along with the team’s progress throughout the tournament.
