Author

Michael Houston

28 February 2026

Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics: Team Canada

In the lead up to the beginning of wheelchair curling at Milano Cortina 2026, we will take a look at all the National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) competing. Next is Team Canada.

Team Canada will be represented by one wheelchair curling team: Team Ideson (mixed team).

Team Ideson: Hopes of continuing Canada’s medal winning legacy

“We will have some time in Italy to hopefully get to taste some of the local cuisine and probably eat a little bit too much pizza.”

Mark Ideson has been everywhere and is in with the bricks (or perhaps the rocks) of Canadian curling, but he has never been to the host nation of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.

A conversation with Ideson reveals a player who cares about culture and travelling. He has a glint in his eye talking about his favourite Scottish malt whiskies and the process of distilleries, shortly after mentioning some of his bucket list sights, including the Colosseum. While some players admit they have not thought past the Paralympic Games, the 49-year-old is hoping a few days of touring after his event, squeezing in time before his children go back to school.

Upkeeping an impressive record

Ideson will skip the Canadian mixed team in Cortina, having become successor to Jim Armstrong following the 2014 Paralympics in Sochi. As Canada gets ready to compete in its sixth successive tournament, they come in with an impressive record: three gold and two bronze medals — meaning they have made it onto the podium at every Games.

Canada took successive bronzes in the past two tournaments, keeping this streak going. Now they have the opportunity to extend that run to six from six.

“Canada’s done so well over the last five Games and certainly we do want to be on the podium again this year, but we also know that the skill level of wheelchair curling across the world has gotten better as time goes on,” said Ideson.

“We know that we’re going to have to bring our best to put ourselves in a situation to play for a medal.”

Team Canada win bronze at Beijing 2022 © World Curling / Alina Pavlyuchik

Meet the team

Team Ideson

Mark Ideson (SKIP)

Age: 49
Paralympic Appearances: 2014 (Gold), 2018 (Bronze), 2022 (Bronze)
Fun fact: He makes the sticks and stickheads for the National Wheelchair Curling Program.

Jon Thurston (THIRD)

Age: 42
Paralympic Appearances: 2022 (Bronze)
Fun fact: He’s a two-sport athlete that has represented Canada at two World Championships in adaptive water skiing.

Ina Forrest (SECOND)

Age: 63
Paralympic Appearances: 2010 (Gold), 2014 (Gold), 2018 (Bronze), 2022 (Bronze)
Fun fact: After Sochi 2014, Pyeongchang 2018 and Beijing 2022, she created fabric medal cases for her teammates and incorporated the design themes from each Paralympic Games.

Collinda Joseph (LEAD)

Age: 60
Paralympic Appearances: 2022 (Bronze)
Fun fact: She enjoys making cards and knitting. She can put a pile of coins on her elbow and catch them in her hand.

Gilbert Dash (ALTERNATE)

Age: 57
Paralympic Appearances: Debut
Fun fact: He is a self-declared rink rat who spent his time playing hockey and curling for nine months of the year.

QUALIFICATION

The Canadian mixed team secured their spot at Milano Cortina 2026 through their points earned at the 2023, 2024 and 2025 World Wheelchair Curling Championships.

They placed third on the Paralympic rankings with a total of 34 points.

TEAM STATS

2020, 2023 and 2024 World silver medallists
2025 World Bronze medallists
2019 World B Champions

Leaders on the ice

He has been part of a Paralympic-winning team before, but as an alternate who did not play in the Sochi 2014 final, but got to play three games throughout. His teammate Ina Forrest, who is set for her fifth Paralympics, was part of the quartet who played that day as well as the final in 2010.

He said he has learned a lot from her, calling her “professional”, “stoic” and a “calming influence”. Throwing fourth will be Jon Thurston, the youngest member of the rink who he calls “detail-oriented”, a “great communicator” and “great strategist”.

Thurston and the path-management specialist on the ice, Collinda Joseph, are set to make their second Paralympic appearance; while five-time national champion, the “light-hearted” Gilbert Dash comes in as the alternate.

“He’s some comic relief,” added Ideson.

“Sometimes it’s on purpose, sometimes it’s not.”

And the skip is a calming influence on the team. He brings a poker face energy and a determination that has helped him lead them to three world silvers between 2020 and 2024, in addition to his gold in 2013. His approach can be traced back to that time as an alternate.

“I watched the gold medal game from the bench, and it was where I needed to be at that time,” he said.

“It let me know basically where I had to improve, what I needed to do to become a starting member of the team, and luckily, I was able to do so in the following years.

“On the sidelines, I think it’s almost a bit easier at times when you’re able to observe what’s going on rather than when you’re in the moment.”

Mark Ideson and Jon Thurston at Beijing 2022 © World Curling / Alina Pavlyuchik

To become part of that group of five comes a rigorous process at national level, which takes into account criteria such as gameplay, drills and off-ice personality. They are with each other around a quarter of the year, and Ideson said, “team dynamics is a huge part of it”.

Notably, Canada’s team is amongst the oldest in the field, but this selection is as much about sharing tips with the younger or less-experienced players than it is about being part of the team.

“We’ve got excellent players ready to fight for positions on the team and they’re doing everything they can to put themselves in a situation where they can represent Canada as well,” Ideson added.

“It keeps everyone striving to be their best.

“You let the foot off the gas a little bit and there’s a person right there wanting to take your spot.

“We have a great culture where we really support each other even though we’re teaching the next generation all our tips and tricks that could potentially put them in a situation where they compete for your spot, but it raises the level for everyone when we do that.”

Team Canada at Beijing 2022 © World Curling / Alina Pavlyuchik

Rising global standards

Canada were almost guaranteed the gold in previous years, but as Ideson has stressed, the quality has improved. Although others have beaten them to world titles, he remains confident in their ability.

“We still consider ourselves, and are, one of the best teams in the world and China’s game has risen,” he added.

“They’re number one in the world for a reason. They throw it hard. They’re good tactically. They’re a really difficult team to play against, but we love playing against them.

“They bring lots of excitement to the game, but they’re going to have their hands full too, coming into this field.

“There’s a lot of good teams and we may not have as big a target on our back as maybe China does this round, but it’s certainly still big.

“All the teams love playing against us and bring their best and we love it. It raises the challenge and we’re feeling like we’re ready.”

Mark Ideson at Beijing 2022 © World Curling / Jeffrey Au

Fuelled by support

Four years ago, Canada put the game to rest with a score of four in the final end to defeat Slovakia 8-3. When they celebrated their bronze medal, Ideson said the “silence was deafening”. To keep this impressive streak going, they will look to soak in the atmosphere.

“We literally just had support staff in the stands cheering us on, so it was very quiet,” he said.

“In Pyeongchang, I had my friends and family there and could always look up knowing that they’re there supporting you.

“So to have that again, heading into Cortina is going to be really special, and it’s a beautiful venue and they’re going to be really close.

“It’s going to be really nice to have them there again, knowing that I have everything I need right there in the building and we’ll be able to feed off that energy.”