Switzerland will have a new look for this year’s World Women’s and Men’s Curling Championships as Team Xenia Schwaller and Team Marco Hoesli will represent the European nation for the first time.
Team Schwaller, led by their 23-year-old skip, defeated four-time world champion Team Silvana Tirinzoni, who were fresh off claiming the silver medal at Milano Cortina 2026.
Tirinzoni took the opening game of the best-of-three final in an extra end before Schwaller won Game 2 by a score of 7-5 and Game 3, 7-3, to win the national championship.
Team Schwaller, who play out of Zurich, is having a great season on Tour. They had a 61-27 record with three bonspiel wins, ranking them sixth in the world heading into nationals.
Schwaller won a World Junior Championship in 2024.
The 46-year-old Tirinzoni has represented Switzerland in six straight women’s worlds, losing to Team Rachel Homan in the final the past two years after winning four straight. The veteran skip has not confirmed whether this season will be her last year of competitive curling.
Team Tirinzoni is ranked first in the world after their silver medal performance in Cortina, losing to Sweden’s Team Anna Hasselborg in the final.
The World Women’s Curling Championship takes place in Calgary from March 14-22. Canada will be represented by Team Kerri Einarson, who will look to win their first world title.
Team Hoesli headed to men’s worlds
On the men’s side of the draw, Team Hoesli defeated Team Yannick Schwaller, in three games.
Team Schwaller took the opening game, 6-1, before Team Hoesli won Game 2, 6-4 in an extra end, and Game 3 by a score of 5-4.
Similar to Tirinzoni’s rink, Team Schwaller, ranked third in the world, went straight from Italy to their national playdowns after defeating Norway to claim bronze at the Olympics.
Schwaller, cousin to Xenia, has skipped Switzerland at the past four men’s worlds competitions, earning silver in 2025 and bronze in 2023.
Glarus’ Team Hoesli, led by their 25-year-old skip, is ranked 30th in the world.
The World Men’s Curling Championships runs from March 27-April 4 in Ogden, Utah.
