HOLT/BRENDEN WIN FIRST EVER JUNIOR MIXED DOUBLES NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Photo by: C. Kerns Photography
[EDEN PRAIRIE, MN, December 2, 2024]— 35 teams headed to Duluth over Thanksgiving weekend for the inaugural Junior Mixed Doubles Nationals. When the last rocks came to rest, Heidi Holt and Zach Brenden (Capital Curling Club, Bismarck, ND) earned the championship title and the honor of representing Team USA at the 2025 World Junior Mixed Doubles Championship.
Holt/Brenden, coached by Keith Dropkin, navigated round-robin pool play with a perfect 4-0 record. In the playoff round, they defeated Team Thurston/Lannoye (Teagan Thurston, Matthew Lannoye), Team Farwell/Rose (Lila Farwell, Caiden Rose), Team Wendling/Paral (Ella Wendling, Benji Paral), before facing Team Johnson/Podhradsky (Gianna Johnson, Will Podhradsky) for the title.
In the final, Holt/Brenden jumped ahead early, scoring a decisive four in the opening end. By the eighth, they were still ahead by four and while Johnson/Podhradsky had rocks applied pressure, Brenden made a triple with his last stone to secure the victory.
Photo by: C. Kerns Photography
In the bronze medal game, Team Wendling/Paral defeated Team Johnson/Hebert (Allory Johnson, Caden Hebert) by a score of 7-6.
USA Curling CEO Dean Gemmell remarked, “It was great to see both the high level of play and the enthusiasm for the event among these competitors. We are very grateful that Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin, after launching the CK Cup last season, allowed us to make the event the national championship in this inaugural year, and truly appreciate the support of the Duluth Curling Club.”
Holt and Brenden will head to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, in the spring to compete for the first U21 Mixed Doubles world title at the Saville Centre from May 6-11, 2025.
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About USA Curling
Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, USA Curling is the National Governing body for the Olympic sport of curling and the Paralympic sport of wheelchair curling in the United States. The mission of USA Curling is to grow, strengthen, and advocate for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of curling in the United States by prioritizing accessibility and programmatic development from grassroots to podium. USA Curling is sponsored by Columbia Sportswear, the Dale’s family of beers, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Training HAUS, Toyota, ISS (Ice, Sports & Solar), Rock Solid Productions, Jet Ice, and Laurie Artiss. USA Curling is a proud member of the World Curling Federation and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. To learn more, visit usacurling.org.
