Veteran curlers Kevin Koe and Selena Sturmay have once again proven their dominance on the provincial stage, capturing the men's and women's titles at the 2026 Alberta curling championships in Okotoks.
Koe's Historic Tenth Triumph
Calgary skip Kevin Koe cemented his legendary status by winning his 10th Alberta men's curling championship at the RME New Holland Alberta Men's Summit of Champions, presented by Best Western Hotel and Resorts. The victory, secured on Sunday at the Okotoks Curling Club, places him second only to Edmonton's Kevin Martin, who has 12 provincial crowns.
"No … it never gets old," said Koe, acknowledging his veteran status in the field. "You know … you wonder when it’ll end. Obviously, I’m the old guy out here, so it feels great to get number 10, and who knows when it’ll be my last Brier. This might be it. So excited to go … and very, very fortunate and very happy."
Sturmay's Redemptive Victory
On the women's side, Edmonton skip Selena Sturmay led her rink to their second provincial title in three years, winning the 2026 RME New Holland Alberta Women's Summit of Champions, presented by Sentinel Storage. Her team's path to victory required overcoming their top-ranked rivals from the same city.
"Honestly, I wasn’t really thinking big picture at all that game, which is weird for me," said the 27-year-old Sturmay. "But … yeah … it’s always nice to go back to the Scotties and get that experience and be on that big stage. Just super proud of my team and how we did (Sunday)."
The Path to the Podium
Team Sturmay, consisting of third Danielle Schmiemann, second Dezaray Hawes, lead Paige Papley, and skip Sturmay, finished the six-day event with a 6-2 record. Their championship run was capped by a 9-5 victory in the final over the top-seeded Saville Community Sports Centre team skipped by Serena Gray-Withers.
The win was an act of vengeance, as Gray-Withers's rink—featuring third Catherine Clifford, second Lindsey Burgess, lead Zoe Cinnamon, and alternate Atina Ford Johnston—had handed Sturmay her only two losses earlier in the week. Sturmay's team secured their spot in the final with a decisive 9-2 semifinal win over Amanda Sluchinski of Edmonton's Crestwood Curling Club.
The consistent Sturmay side built their championship win with deuces in the third, fifth, seventh, and ninth ends, eventually running Gray-Withers out of rocks in the 10th.
"Our ranking probably didn’t necessarily give us the credit of the season that we’ve had," Sturmay reflected. "So I’m just really proud of the girls for putting up a good fight and playing the way that they did and being able to win this event."
Bound for the National Stage
With their Sunday triumphs, both Koe and Sturmay have earned the right to represent Alberta at the national championships. Koe's rink will compete in the 2026 Montana's Brier, while Sturmay's team will take to the ice at the 2026 Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
The victories in Okotoks underscore the enduring competitive spirit in Alberta curling, where experienced champions continue to set the standard and secure their places in the sport's history.
