24 Apr 2025 – Jess and Ben Smith are primed to take on the best when the World Mixed Doubles Championship gets under way in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada this weekend.

The Maniototo siblings earned New Zealand's place in the event at December's Qualifying Event.

The pair trained in Calgary for a week with their Canadian coach Kimberly Tuck before heading to Fredericton. Kimberly and husband Wayne were Canadian Mixed Doubles champions in 2014, and played in the 2015 Winter Games NZ at Naseby.

"We’re very grateful to have Kim working with us and excited to learn from her experience," said Ben Smith.

"And Jess and I are very excited to finally get our shot at the World Mixed Doubles Championship."

This tournament is their third opportunity to play at the World Championship. They prioritised their careers in 2019, and the 2020 event was a casualty of Covid.

"We are aiming to do ourselves, our community, our sponsors and everyone who has supported us proud. We want to represent New Zealand Curling to the best of our ability."

This event is the last opportunity for nations to gain qualification points for the 2026 Winter Olympics. Teams that do not qualify directly will have a second chance at a final Qualifying Event in December.

The World Senior Championships runs alongside the Mixed Doubles at the same venue, with the NZ Senior Men and Women competing. The finals for both tournaments are set for Saturday 9th May.

• World Curling tournament page
• Watch on The Curling Channel
• NZ results at World Mixed Doubles
• Team Smith on Instagram | Facebook