Colton Lott's Strategic Decision to Represent Team Canada at World Men's Curling Championship
Colton Lott faced a challenging dilemma this week, wishing he could be in two places at once. The opportunity to win two prestigious curling titles within nine days—the 2026 LGT World Men's Curling Championship in Utah and the 2026 Canadian Mixed Doubles Curling Championship in Surrey, B.C.—was a dream scenario for any elite curler. However, the tight schedule made this impossible, as the worlds began on the same day the mixed doubles event concluded.
At 30 years old, Lott was forced to make a tough choice, ultimately selecting to compete with Team Canada at the men's world championship while following the mixed doubles from afar. This decision meant sacrificing a chance to defend the mixed doubles crown he and his wife, Kadriana Lott, have won for the past two consecutive years. A third straight title would have been a remarkable achievement, but Lott remains optimistic about future opportunities.
Embracing the Conflict and Focusing on Team Success
"We definitely follow," said Lott, when asked about missing the mixed doubles defense. "But there's always next year and the year after for mixed doubles. So it'll always be there, and it's nice to be preparing for the world men's. Having this conflict is good." This positive outlook highlights his commitment to Team Canada and the global stage.
The scheduling overlap was particularly intense, with the mixed doubles final coinciding with Canada's afternoon match against Korea's Kim Soo-hyuk in Ogden, Utah. Lott and his teammates, including skip Matt Dunstone, second E.J. Harnden, lead Ryan Harnden, alternate Geoff Walker, and coaches Caleb Flaxey and Jeff Stoughton, then faced Italy's Stefano Spiller in an evening game. The team's schedule eases slightly with single games on Saturday and Sunday before ramping up to four consecutive days of doubleheaders to conclude the round robin.
Team Canada's Detailed Schedule for the Championship
Here is the full slate for Team Canada at the World Men's Curling Championship:
- Friday, March 27: vs. Korea (Kim Soo-hyuk), 3:30 p.m. ET
- Friday, March 27: vs. Italy (Stefano Spiller), 9 p.m. ET
- Saturday, March 28: vs. Scotland (Ross Whyte), 4 p.m. ET
- Sunday, March 29: vs. USA (John Shuster), 4 p.m. ET
- Monday, March 30: vs. Poland (Konrad Stych), 11 a.m. ET
- Monday, March 30: vs. Japan (Yanagisawa Riku), 9 p.m. ET
- Tuesday, March 31: vs. China (Xiaoming Xu), 11 a.m. ET
- Tuesday, March 31: vs. Sweden (Niklas Edin), 9 p.m. ET
- Wednesday, April 1: vs. Switzerland (Marco Hösli), 11 a.m. ET
- Wednesday, April 1: vs. Czechia (Lukáš Klima), 9 p.m. ET
- Thursday, April 2: vs. Germany (Marc Muskatewitz), 4 p.m. ET
- Thursday, April 2: vs. Norway (Andreas Hårstad), 9 p.m. ET
- Friday, April 3: Qualification game, 11 a.m. ET
- Friday, April 3: Semifinal game, 5 p.m. ET
- Sunday, April 4: Bronze-medal game, 11 a.m. ET
- Sunday, April 4: Gold-medal game, 4 p.m. ET
This packed itinerary underscores the demanding nature of international curling competitions and Lott's dedication to contributing to Team Canada's pursuit of glory on the world stage.
